Ashes and Wine
by wrmwolf
Summary: She realised that after all this years of calling him as shelter, that he was actually the storm himself. She should have run for the hills when she actually has her chances too; but now, it is too late. [Based on the Originals]
1. running away

_You aren't running away from me don't you?_

_New Orleans, French Quarters_

'This is a bit exaggerating I guess.'

The younger girl said, straightening her favourite Azulon Knit Jersey. She glanced around, turning around to glance at the buildings and shops with a smile lingering on her face, 'Look at this place.' She muttered, looking at the newly updated New Orleans. The boy striding beside her smiled, passing the girl her black pea coat before his arms crossed against his chest. 'Well, welcome back to New Orleans. Tell me, how long have you been away from here?' The boy asked, trailing few feet behind her. 'Don't start it, Cato.' The girl mumbled grimly, hugging her body reaching at the corner of the street, 'Don't start.' The boy smirked, standing right next to them as they watched the busy street of Chartres.

'If I can get a dollar for every time I spot a faux palm reader and so called witch.'

She remarked, snickering at the foolish tourists who willing to spend 5 dollars for nothing but a faux fortune telling and palm reading and witchy stuffs. 'Ahh, we should start now.' The boy—Cato fished a dollar out of the pocket of his leather jacket and handed it to her with a smirk. 'Jerk.' She pushed him by his chest, using her impressive speed to snatch that dollar away from his hand, 'I'll take that anyway.'

'How's mum?' She asked, with a hint of her English accent. She watched with fascination as the palm reader across the street 'magically' ran her thumbs against the foreigner's palm in front of her—probably from Russian due to her accent she caught with her hearing. The foreigner blossomed with joy as the palm reader 'predicted' for her good luck for the rest of their week. Cato's voice pulled her back to where they stood. 'Well, mum is fine, still brewing and nagging about how I should watch what I'm eating lately.' He noted, rubbing on his flat tummy. 'Maybe you should,' His sister joked, 'Don't want to lose the charming look of yours.' They enjoyed the momentary silence before she asked the next question he wished she never asked, 'And how's father?' He smiled weakly patting and strode away, leaving her hanging with her question.

'Cato!' She yelled, 'That's impolite, I asked you a question.'

'Goodbye sister.' He yelled back, without even turning his back as he walked to the nearby bar.

She scanned the paper in her hand, wondering what she shall she do with the 1 dollar in her hand. She lifted her head from the money to find her blue gazing to a pair of cold eyes so familiar it reminded her of the actual one she loathed the most. Immediately, she turned around, picking her pace up before he can catch up with her. But she misjudged him; she judged him too fast. 'Thea, Thea, Thea.' She stopped abruptly when her way was blocked by overly famous—'Niklaus.' She greeted, half sneering. Klaus smiled sarcastically, throwing his arms around her forcing her to walk with him. 'You aren't running away from me aren't you? That's so rude since we're pretty much a family.'

A smile lingered on her lips. She flipped her bothering hair back before shoving the hands back into the pocket of her jeans. 'Why should I be running away from my favourite Mikaelson?' Klaus took his hand of her and sneered, 'Since I'm not really your favourite Mikaelson. I know that. You don't need to lie to me, Thea. It's scatter all over your face that Elijah's truly your favourite Mikaelson; in fact he was your favourite enough to let him lingered in your pants.' Klaus chuckled, watching the girl on his right squeamish in embarrassed. Thea punched him on his shoulder in a _not-so_ playfully gesture and crossed her arms, 'Did you mother taught you to not snooping around in other people's business? That's so rude, Nik.' She muttered, hoping that the bright sun is enough to use as a cover for her burning cheeks.

'Well, not if the person is my in-law.'

She stopped her steps immediately, clenching on her jaw tightly. Klaus turned around, pulling his shock face followed by a chuckle, 'I hit a sensitive spot, am I?' He calmly, standing tall in front of her with his hands deep in the pocket of his jacket, 'In fact, I hit you twice, did I?' He waited for her harsh, sarcastic comment; in point of fact he missed her sarcastic comments, it was something that kept him happy and warm around her presence all this years. But, she said nothing. She just stood there, arms crossed and jaws tight. Klaus smiled and placed both of his hands on her shoulders, shaking her out from her little world. 'I apologize, my dear sister. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings.'

Throwing his arm back around her shoulder, they continued walking on the sidewalk, 'Niklaus Mikaelson just apologized sincerely because he didn't meant to hurt my feeling?' She finally opened her mouth and tilted her head up; her palm on her chest in shock, daring herself to stare in to his deep blue eyes, 'Having a day off I guess?' Klaus did nothing but laughed his stomach out. 'Finally, good Lord and this is the woman my brother fall deeply head to heel for. Welcome back my Thea Mikael—' With her super speed, she pushed him to the alley, slamming him against the wall with her palm covering his red lips. He fought, turning it around as he pinned her against the wall roughly. 'Watch it, Nik.' She glanced around to make sure nobody's around to take a snoop at their conversation and tattled it to Marcel. 'Nobody knows I am a Mikaelson.' She whispered, '_Nobody_.' She emphasised, 'And I like to keep it that way.'

He stared at her deeply, watching as her lips moved silently as she mouthed _please_. He nodded, releasing her, gently rubbing on the spot behind her head. 'You my dear, are one weird little vampire.' He muttered with his thick accent. 'You are a weird little creature.' He strode away, stopping a couple steps further when he realised that she wasn't following her. 'You coming?' She stood there, staring at him all confused, 'I hit you too hard, did I?' He walked towards her, placing his hand on the back of her head. She shook her head, 'Why are you here, Nik? After 300 years, why did you suddenly come back? I don't get it.' His reddish lips curls into a smile—a menacing one.

'I came here to visit my fellow friend. Would you care spending a little time with your favourite Mikaelson and point me to Maison Bourbon Jazz Club?'

Her expression fell, 'I don't like where this thing is leading me into.'

* * *

_Later,_

Klaus followed the brunette girl in front of her as she leaded him to the jazz club. She recognized the singer voice—it is Marcel himself. 'I forgot that today is the night.' She stopped, holding both of her hands up to block the entrance. 'Klaus, please don't tell me you're going to make a scene.' She mumbled. Klaus pulled her hands down, 'You'll have my word.' He winked and slipped pass her. She followed him without any other choice, finding him standing by the pole, with his hands in his pocket; staring at Marcel who's performing karaoke on the stage passionately. She stood behind him, glaring at the nearby minions of Marcel. He finished his song of The Heavybefore mouthing a thank you and jumping off the stage. The crowd applauded and he joined a few of his companion. They both listened as one of them pat him on the back. 'You killed it, man.' She listened.

Marcel stopped his track before looking over at where they stood. 'Klaus.' Marcel muttered, placing his glass on the table. With please, Klaus smiled, 'Marcel.' He shifted on his feet. 'I see you brought a friend.' Marcel motioned to the motionless Thea behind Klaus, 'Thea. It's a pleasure to see you, _again_.' Thea said nothing, preferring to stay away from the building tension but managed to return Marcel her smile. 'Must be a hundred years since that nasty business with your papa.' Klaus squinted his eyes and crumbled his forehead, pretending to think, 'Has it been that long?' She watched carefully as Klaus started to approach him. 'The way I recall it, he ran you outta town. Left a trail of dead vampire in his wake.'

Klaus snickered, 'And yet how fortunate you managed to survived. My father, I'm afraid, I recently incinerated to dust.' Convinced at the sound of Klaus' aggressive tone, Marcel's companions stood and ready themselves for a confrontation. Not a couple 2 of them but half of the club. One of them already stood tall in front of Thea, forcing her to take a couple of steps behind when her private space is being violated. A hiss left her lips with the tip of her fangs lengthened. 'There's no need to harm the girl.' Klaus muttered coldly. Marcel motioned his guy to back off and they did, receiving a cold, dagger stare of her. 'Well, if I'd known you we're coming back in town, if I had a heads-up—'

'What, Marcel?' Klaus stood nose to nose, thickening the tension. 'What would you done?'

Marcel's face broke into a wide grin and he laughed. 'I would throw you a damn parade.' Klaus returned the grin and Thea watched as they embraced like a long-lost brother. Marcel drew back, placing his hands on either side of Klaus' neck. 'Niklaus Mikaelson,' He announced loudly to his companions, 'My mentor, my savior, my sire.' He abandoned the blonde vampire and moved to the girl, pulling her into a warm embrace. 'Althaea Walsh. The closest vampire to the Mikaelson.' He drew back, 'This girl goes back to the Originals age, only 100 years slight younger than them. You boys show her some respect and might stay away from her. This girl is already off the market.' He patted her on the shoulder; her grin never left his face, 'How's Elijah?'

'Truthfully, I don't know.' She replied coldly to his question.

'Love makes you cruel, darling. Let's get you both a couple of drink.'

Klaus waited for Thea, reassuring her with his soft glance as he will look after her. He stayed behind her, glancing around with his cold eyes while keeping a close distance with Thea. They joined Marcel in another room at a private table, well-guarded by few of Marcel's companions. 'It's surely good to see you both.' Marcel poured two drinks and one for himself before sitting opposed them. 'Where have you been, Thea? I haven't seen you in a couple of decades.' Thea crossed her legs, leaning against the chair as she took a sip of the strong odour drink she's holding as a respect although she isn't a big fan of drinking. 'Well, I travelled. Got family business to run. Getting a refresh on my studies.' Marcel nodded, impressed with the girl in front of her, toasting a drink to her. 'And it's surely good to see you, my Klaus.'

'It' good to be home. Although please tell me the current state of Bourbon Street is not your doing.' Klaus took a long sip of his drink and both men chuckled. 'Well, something's gotta draw in the out-of-towners, otherwise we'd all go hungry.' Klaus noticed that Thea was fidgeting, feeling uncomfortable at the current state of environment. Klaus peered behind at one of the guys flanking the doorway of the room, smirking and staring at his family. 'I see your friends are daywalkers and unable to keep their eyes at what it seemed to belong to my brother here.'

'Klaus.' She warned and both of the men snickered.

'Yeah, yeah, I shared the secret of your daylight ring with a few buddies. Just the inner circle, though—the family.' Marcel poured them more drinks. 'How did _you _find a witch willing to make a daylight rings?' Thea asked, half impressed, half curious. 'I got them witches around her wrapped around my finger.' Klaus chuckled and Thea followed him uncomfortably. 'Is that so? I'm looking for a witch by the name of Jane-Anne Deveraux. Has some business with me.' Thea watched as Marcel made eye contact with one of his cohort.

'You're looking for Jane-Anne? You probably oughta come with me.' He stood and laughed, 'Ha, show time baby.' He grins, placing his arm on Thea's shoulders, leading her out.

* * *

_Later that night_,

Out on the street of the dark French Quarter, crowd of people begun to form; Thea watched as vampire walked along the rooftop, jumping on the car setting the alarm off. Thea listened to their conversation deciding to stay away from them, her arms around body. She noted the vampire walking along and jumping from rooftop to rooftop, car to car. 'They're hardly subtle, are they?' Thea asked and Marcel chuckled, 'It's the Quarter. Ain't no such thing as subtle, baby.' Marcel whistled with his fingers and the crowd cheered. One of the vampires brought forward Jane-Anne, bound with rope. 'Jane-Anne Deveraux! Give it up for Jane-Anne! Come on, let's hear it! Jane-Anne Deveraux, you have been accused of the practice of witchcraft beyond the bounds of the rules set forth, and enforced, by me. How do you plead?' He turned abruptly and walked over to Klaus and Thea. 'Was that convincing? I studied law back in the '50s. Hold that thought.' He returned to Jane-Anne. 'Seriously Jane, tick-tock. You know the drill. How do you plead?'

The witch lifted her head in hesitation, 'I didn't do anything.'

The crowd laughed. 'Mm, that's a lie. You know it, I know it, and you hate that I know it. It drives you witches crazy that I'm aware of your every move. That you can't do magic in this town without getting caught. So, why don't we just cut to the chase, huh? You tell me what magic you're brewing. I mean, tell me. I'll grant you leniency. Hey, I am, after all, a merciful man.' Thea felt a rumbling of discomfort inside of her and Klaus glanced at her, 'You'll be alright.' He mouthed, compelling the younger vampire. The crowd, Klaus and Thea continued to observe in utter silence as Jane-Anne bravely scoffed with a disgusted look on her face. 'Rot in hell, you monster.' Thea silently praised the girl for her braveness before scoffed inside herself at the girl's idiotic move. Shocking murmurings rumbled through the crowd but Marcel didn't flinch. He smiled. 'I'll tell you what. I'll give you one more chance—' Marcel walked away and out of blue he swung the branch he's been holding so fast that it sliced Jane-Anne's throat opened. She immediately begun to gag, gasping for air. Her eyes were fixed at Thea and she watched as the girl died emotionless. Her face softened and she watched as the girl crumbled down to the floor. Disgust grew inside of her as the crowd cheered. Klaus stared at her body, looking quite rather displeased. He walked to Marcel and grabbed his shoulder, turning him around.

'What was that?' He hissed. Marcel threw his arm around his shoulder, 'Hey. Come and walk with me. The witches aren't allowed to do magic here- she broke the rules.' But Klaus insisted, 'I told you I wanted to talk to her.' They stopped and Klaus watched as the crowd moved around them, still cheering. 'Hey, I'm sorry. I got caught up in the show. Those witches, they think that they still have power in this town. I have to show them that they don't. I never waste an opportunity for a show of force, another lesson that I learned from you. And besides, anything that you could've gotten outta her, I can find out for you, and I will. I promise.' Klaus considered him for a few moments. 'Well what it was, doesn't matter anymore does it?' He smiles and Marcel smiled back. 'Good, good. The let's eat, 'cause all that spilled blood makes me hungry.'

Marcel walked off. Klaus hanged back, confronting a man, holding back one of Marcel's men—Theirry, who's walking by with a hand on his chest. 'Hey, Theirry isn't it? Any more Deveraux witches where she came from?'

Thea fought the crowd, moving toward the dead corpse of the witch and stood there where her sympathy started to grow inside of her. 'You become a weak vampire by just being sympathy.' Klaus' voice greeted her from behind but she didn't bother to turn around or sarcastically brushed off his remarks. 'You vampires sometimes disgusted me.' She muttered, crossing her arms. 'Is that the pot calling the kettle black?' Klaus chuckled, 'For a vampire, you surely have a lot of humanity inside of you. Sometimes I think you're not a vampire.'

'Maybe I want you to think it that way.' She replied coldly.

'I'm hungry.' He changed the subject, 'You coming?' She shook her head and walked toward the stairs to one of the home nearby. He watched as she pulled out a crooked cigarette from her pocket and a lighter. He took it as a no, turned on his heels and took off. She put the cigarette in between her pale lips and lighted it up; a puff of smoke escaped her lips. She tucked the cigarette between her fingers and stared at the body, 'Jane-Anne, may you rest in peace.' She put the cigarette back at her lips and took off, walking into the darkness back to her apartment.

* * *

_The quiet street in the Quarter_,

Elijah watched from the distance as crowd of witches started to form by the corner of Royal and . Some stood, some kneel and some crouched sadly around the body of their fallen friend, Jane-Anne. The body lied on the ground, dead cold, with blood on its neck. There were some flowers and candles around the corpse. Someone Elijah recognized as Sophie Deveraux sat near her sister, weeping silently. All of the witches looked depressed. Elijah is truly shocked at the sight, stopping abruptly a hundred metre away from them.

'Please tell me that my brother had nothing to do with this.' He muttered with sorrow in his words. Sabine shook her head, 'No, Jane-Anne died because she got caught doing magic.' Elijah furrowed his eyebrows, 'What do you mean she got caught doing magic?' Elijah watched as Sabine's face crumbled in disgust. 'Maybe you should go and ask someone more useful such as your brother, Niklaus, or even better, your lover, Thea.' Elijah paused and stared at her in disbelieved. 'Thea Walsh? She's here?' Sabine nodded, 'She's here with Marcel and Klaus. In the matter of fact, she was the one who left Sophie a tip about her dead sister.' She knew the look on his face, 'Don't look at me like I'm lying. I don't. I got some witches ready to testify her present here.' They heard a loud whistling and she panicked. 'You wanna know who killed Jane-Anne? You're about to get your first glimpse of Marcel in action.'

It was too much for Elijah to absorb at the moment of time, 'The vampire Marcel?' He asked suspiciously of the witch before him. 'Things changed since your family left town. Marcel has changed.' Vampires were approaching and the noise got louder, 'I'm asking you, stay hidden. If Marcel finds out that a witch lured the Originals back into town, my people will be slaughtered.' Elijah nodded with understanding. He was about to move when he stopped and called for Sabine again.

'And one more thing, where can I find this girl, Thea?'

'Take that turn on your left and just continue to walk 6 blocks away. Apartment in white. Second floor.'

Mouthing a thank you, Elijah vamp speeded to a spot on the nearest balcony, hidden in the shadow. Tempted to stay but Elijah was way more curious on the present of his old flame here. So he took off, leaving the witches to mourn for their lost

* * *

**Aha, so I'm obsessed with the Mikaelson family (cough cough Elijah cough) for like forever and knowing the existence of a spin-off of their family drove me to the edge. I'm looking for beta and I'm sorry for my mistakes. I try my best to minimize my mistakes but English is my second language so, yeah, you know the drill. Reviews are welcome and let's see where this story goes.**


	2. king's heir

_every king need an heir_

* * *

Thea stood in front of the mirror behind of the door of her bathroom examining the darken state of her eyes. She was not as perfect as Elijah is at controlling her hunger and not as hungry as Klaus is when it comes to feeding. But something was off tonight; she didn't know what or why. She pulled the jeans off to replace it with comforting cotton short and her sweater for a tank top. Her hearing caught a whip of wind outside of her open sliding door and she sighed. 'Your parents never taught either of you manners? Like it is much more polite to knock on the door instead of creeping at a person's balcony?' Thea mouthed, walking out of the bathroom with a bottle of her favourite Vanilla lotion in her hand.

'If I did, would you open the door?'

She watched her old flame stepped out of the shadow, standing at what is to be a thin border line separating the balcony and the inside of apartment. How grateful she is over the old maiden tales of what have kept the uninvited vampire of the bay. 'That's the point. So I know when I should ward off another Mikaelson.' She settled on the bed, propping her left leg on the chair nearrby. Elijah put his hands in his pocket, his face soften. 'May I come in?' She ignored the question; busy herself with pouring the lotion on her hand and rubbing in up and down her milky thigh. 'Or come out here with me.' He tried again. She was impressed over his patience in her presence. 'Is that an invitation as in for a date, _Messieurs_ Mikaelson?' She lifted her head to find his eyes glued to her; to her exposed skin. 'That's not good to stare of what is not yours.' His thin lips curled into a smile. 'But it is if that is _mine_, _Mesdames_ Mikaelson.' He emphasised.

'I thought we settled that a long time ago.' She paused, daring herself to stare at his hazel eyes. 'I did, you didn't.' He pulled his hands out of his pocket and motioned inside, 'May I come in?' He tried again and this time he smiled because she didn't brush him off; she nodded. She took her feet from the chair and he took a seat right in front of her. Nothing came out from either of their mouths and Thea was getting uncomfortable about how sharp his stare was. 'I'd change into something more decent.' She stood and speeded towards her bathroom. Elijah couldn't help and laughed, running his hand at the back of his neck, massaging it slowly. She was challenging him.

'Uhh—why are you back here?'

She asked, returning to the room wearing her earlier jeans and sweater. 'I have some business to run.' She nodded and took back her seat in front of him; leg crossed Indian style. 'You mean Klaus. You are here for Klaus.' He denied nothing and nodded. She couldn't help to close the distance and her fingers went straight at the knot of his tie. 'What are you—' He questioned and she tilted her head up where her face was inches close to him. She could hear the melodious sound of his heart beat from where her hands were touching. The smell of his cologne and his aftershave drown her. 'Your tie's a bit loose and—' She didn't break the eye contact and neither did him. 'and—uh I didn't like it. It drive me crazy' Her hands worked magically without the help of her eyes. But as always, there will always be some to interupt her; ready to ruin the moment. In this cae, it's sound of her phone snapped her out of their world, 'I'm so sorry.' She muttered clumsily, scrambled immediately toward the pea coat hanging behind of the white door. Elijah glanced down at the half done tie and worked it by himself when her conversation caught his attention.

'Where the hell are you, Nik?' She muttered simply, pressing the phone tight to her ears. '_I assumed that you're home with my brother._' She glanced at the nobleman sitting on the chair few feet away from her. 'If I am, why should it be your concern? We aren't doing anything at all.' The chuckle coming from the end of the line irritated her. '_Not even a welcome back kiss. A little sex won't hurt you both, my little sister_.'

'If you're calling me just to annoy me to death, then this is goodbye.' She was about to end the call when Klaus stopped her. '_Little vampire got her panties twisted. What did my brother done to you?_' The girl took the coat out of its place and put it on, struggling with holding the phone and wearing the coat. In a second, Elijah was behind her and helping her with the coat. She can feel how close he is judging to the goose bump from where his breath has touched. 'As I say, good bye, Nik.'

'_I need you at Rousseau's now_.'

'Who are you to order me in that voice?' She jeered unpleasantly. Klaus laughed and the call ended with her question unanswered. A curse left her lips and she slipped the phone in the pocket. 'I guess I should be going before the brother of yours started a tantrum in the Jackson Square.' She tried to brush off the goose bump and the rosy red dots creeping on her cheeks as she distanced herself from him to close the opened sliding door. 'I do want to know why you are back here. You don't just pop up randomly.' Elijah asked strongly; she could sense the seriousness in his tone. 'Maybe I miss the Quarter.' She opened the door and leaded the elder vampire out of her apartment. She grabbed her fedora and locked the door. 'Still a bad liar.' He muttered, a smile lingered on his face as they walked down the stairs. 'That hurt, Eli. Really, that hurt. Maybe I should compel you.' She noted. Both of them knew there was no way that vampire can compel an Original like him. He companied her, silence overwhelming. 'I got a letter from my mother.' He looked at him, taking interest on the new topic she came out with. 'She and Cato had found my father's entombed body; dried out of blood. She decided to undo the desiccation of my father. I decided that maybe I should take a break from my travel and my studies.'

'A traveller and a scholar.' He smiled, showing a little pride in his tone. 'How's Cato, the brother? And what did you study?' He asked remembering the older brother of hers. 'He's good. He's fine. I brushed up on my studies. History, mythology. I'd taken some interest in psychology. And I heard your new friend is a psychology graduate?' She asked, noting on the blonde bartender, Camille, 'Good to have someone to talk with.' He couldn't help to note the jealousy in her voice but decided not to touch the sensitive topic. Elijah stopped her at the corner of the street. His hand found his way to her neck, cradling it upward so her eyes were fixed to him. 'I understood that you got your letter from your mother. What I don't understand is why you are here? Maybe you care for your mother but you _loathe _your father.'

She smiled weakly, 'You taught me family is power. Maybe I've grown to the point where I realized that maybe it time for a little family reunion.' She crossed the road, stopping half way to shoot him her seductive smile. He watched as she carefully stepped backwardly, hands in her jacket. 'Or maybe I just missed you and I've been stalking your whereabouts for centuries.' A smile grew on his face, 'Whatever floats your boat, Messieurs Mikaelson.' She smirked and disappeared from his sight.

* * *

_Outside Rousseau's_,

'What have taken you so long?' Klaus stood from where he was leaning. Thea crossed the road, her heels clinking on the pavement. 'Elijah kept you on leash? Cute fedora you have there.' She snorted and shook her head. 'We talked, like a normal, civilian human being.' She said, and held the fedora on her head, 'And leave my fedora alone.' She muttered possessively. Klaus chuckled and held the door opened like a gentleman. 'Except you're not a human being my dear.' She rolled her eyes and walked in, noting on how please and warm the bar looked like inside opposing the noisy Quarter. 'What are we doing here?' She stopped to glance back. Klaus' hand found his way on the low back of her body as he pushed her deeper inside the bar.

'We're here to talk to a witch that might help to reveal who's conspiring against me, darling.'

She watched Sophie where she was chopping vegetables in the kitchen. Her face is clearly upset. She turned around and startled at the sight of Klaus and Thea there. 'You're Klaus. And you are Thea Mikaelson if I'm not mistaken.' She looked at the girl behind Klaus. 'How did you know my name?' She asked shifting her weight on another foot; the slight amount of aggression in her voice, quake the witch. 'You're quiet famous among the witches. Willingly to give up your power for the _so-called_ immortality. To be courted by the Old Ones.' Angered by the accusation, she leaped forward, fangs out ready to rip the girl's life out. 'I was bitten beyond my willingness, you fool.' Not willing to lose another lead, Klaus grabbed her by her hand, holding her back. He pulled the vampire away from the witch, 'Meeting Elijah ticked you off huh?' He pressed her shoulder down, calming her down before compelling her. 'How about you go and have some drink and get my brother out of your little mind for a while huh?' Confused she backed a little before hitting him hard on the chest, 'Don't you dare compel me again. Your brother's blood gave me an extra advantages okay' She flipped and marched towards the bar, 'I'm not like others.' She yelled back before ordering herself a scotch.

'You're little upset. Sophie, isn't it? I assume this is because of what I just witnessed with your sister on the corner of Royal and St. Ann?' Klaus returned to the kitchen, leaning against the door frame. Sophie paused from her chopping and looked up at the hybrid, 'Did you enjoy the show?' She asked in disgust. Klaus' lips curled upward and he chuckled, 'It was a little melodramatic for my tastes. What did your sister want with me? Why did Marcel kill her?'

Thea was up to her 3 glasses of Scotch when she sensed an unwelcoming presence of what she recognized as Marcel's cohorts. 'Miss Walsh, isn't it?' The guy on her left asked, a smile lingered on his face. 'Up here all alone? Where's your boyfriend?' She paused and looked at both of the guy in annoyance, 'He's somewhere up in your _fucking_ ass.' She slammed the glass down and stood up; making her way out of the bar. In the kitchen, Sophie was about to open her mouth when she noticed the two men sandwiching the quite annoyed vampire. 'I see you brought friends.' She muttered and Klaus turned, looking at the men, then back to Sophie. 'They are not with me.'

'Well they're with Marcel. That's all that matters. And your dear in-law are quite annoyed, she's leaving.' She dropped the knife and wiped her hands cleaned against the apron, 'I know you built this town, but this is his town now. He killed my sister because she broke the rules. So I talk to you in front of them, I'm next.' Sophie turned and left, leaving the hybrid devastated and angry. Klaus approached the men at the bar and with his strength; sinking his grip on the men's shoulders. 'Are you two gentlemen following me? And what have you done to my little vampire before?'

'Marcel said we're your guides.' The man who was bothering Thea earlier mumbled.

Klaus smiled sarcastically, 'Oh, he did, did he? He did. Well then, let me be exceedingly clear about something: if either of you follow me again, you'll do so without the benefit of a spine.' He tightened his grip until the bartender—Camille approached them. She smiled, 'Sorry for the wait. If you're here for the gumbo, I'm about to break your heart. We just ran out.' Klaus released them and pulled out a 100 dollar bill, throwing it on the bar. 'Your oldest Scotch for my two friends here, love.' She took it with surprised and smiled before walking away. Klaus resumed his grip—harder than earlier, 'If Marcel wants to know what I'm up to, he can ask me himself.'

Thea leaned against the wall of the back alley of the bar, the cigarette rested between her lips. What's up with people she met today? Does people really know her as Elijah's little mistress? She removed the cigarette from her lips; leaning backward as she puffed the smoke. Her little time out is cut short when one of the doors opened. Sophie walked out the back alley exit, down a few stairs and stopped at a small table covered with lit candles, her cheeks wet with tears. She paused when she noticed another presence with her. 'I'm sorry about your loss.' Thea muttered, dropping the cigarette on the wet pavement, stepping on the burning stub, 'May she rest in peace.' She offered the witch her condolence. She walked towards her, standing right in front of her. The witch offered her a candle and being polite, she accepted it. 'I'm sorry for my harshness.' The witch tended the candles; lighting along on in Thea's hands when the door behind them suddenly swung shut with a bang and startled them. Wary, they remained still when a figure jumped and Sophie swivelled around, but still saw no one. She turned again to see the man who spoke to Klaus inside. Thea scratched her forehead in annoyance and dropped her candle on the table, 'You little bastard.' Sophie crossed her arms, 'The doors work, you know.' She sensed another guy behind her and she turned around. 'You're doing magic? I'm surprised you're managed to get the cocky little vampire to join you.'

Thea took a couple of step forward and crossed her arms herself, 'If you're too blind to see, this poor girl is praying to her dead sister. So go ahead, join us. Pay your respects.' One of the vampires vamp-speeded towards her but Thea grabbed his throat, throwing him away. 'Don't make this a thing, Sophie. The hybrid was looking for Jane-Anne- Marcel wants to know why.' The other guy hissed. 'My dear, the _hybrid_ has a name and his name is Klaus. You have a problem with him you answer straight to me.' Thea uttered in anger. Bravely she stood up for herself, 'Oh, that sounds like witch business. I'd say ask her yourself, but I guess you can't, seeing as Marcel killed her.'

The man she threw earlier speeded to her, ready to attack them but Thea pushed him hardly before he suddenly disappeared. The second man looked up, and then turned to the sound of something falling to the ground; both of the witch and the vampire quaked at fear. Thea sighed, rolling her eyes at the show in front of her, 'Really, Eli.' She whispered, '_Classic_.' She caught a soft chuckle. The second man looked angry, 'You better run for your life, pretty boy.' He didn't have time to do anything about it when their attacker has thrown him up against the brick building, where he was held by a long stake protruding from his chest. 'Really?' Sophie looked at Thea in confusion and nervously. 'You just messed up my dinner.' Thea pretentiously pouted staring at a figure behind the witch. The witch turned around where Elijah stood tall, straightening his coat.

'I'm Elijah. You heard of me?'

Sophie nodded fervently, nervously mouthed a yes. Elijah pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his bloodied fingers, 'So, why don't you tell me what business your family has with my brother?'

* * *

'So this is what you do huh?' Thea marched strong beside Elijah, 'Huh? Creeping around people, snooping around people's business, ripping hearts and throwing stakes?'

Elijah remained silent, walking with his hands in his pocket. 'What are you doing hanging with a witch? Something you do this day?' Thea shook her head, 'This is why we never worked out well.' She muttered. They followed Sophie to the cemetery. Sophie opens the squeaking gate and enters the cemetery. Being a gentleman, Elijah held the gate from closing, motioning Thea to go in first. Thea stepped forward but stopped abruptly in front of the entry. Sophie turned around. 'This is sacred ground, which means vampires have to be invited in. But, since I'm desperate—' She looked at the vampire and sighed, '—come on in.' Thea stepped inside and turned around; Elijah hesitated. 'You too.' Elijah entered the cemetery. 'We can talk freely here.' Sophie said, marching strongly along the track surrounded by the tombs. 'Then I suggest you start talking.' Thea glanced at the vampire next to him, 'You too. Explain. I came here for nothing but my family and you and your brother drag me into this depth of shit. What did your sister want with Niklaus?'

Sophie stopped and turned around, 'Isn't it obvious? We have a vampire problem, and we need help. Marcel has an army backing him. The witches have been trying to fight back. We haven't had much luck, until my sister Jane-Anne met a girl, a werewolf passing through the quarter from a small town in Virginia. She had a special connection to your brother.' Thea shared a glance with Elijah, 'What—'

'What kind of connection?' Elijah asked. Sophie crossed her arms, looking more confident than earlier, 'Apparently, they spent some time together. One thing led to another and now this special werewolf girl – she's pregnant. And the father of the child she's carrying is your brother Klaus.' Thea's face fell, 'What?' She whispered. 'That's impossible.' The older vampire said. Sophie rolled her eyes, 'Nothing is impossible, especially not when it comes to your brother. Think about it – they call him the hybrid, right?' She raised her voice and turned her head, 'Bring her out!' Elijah's first response was to pull Thea closer, shielding half of her body with his muscular one. She didn't fight; she let him, she was just too tired to fight with him again. They watched as three witches came out, standing in formation around a girl—the pregnant werewolf girl. Thea watched as Elijah took interest of her while the girl seemed a bit confuse and really irritated. 'Who is she?' Thea asked, tugging on his arm. 'She's a werewolf—Hayley. She's a friend back from Mystic Fall.' He explained. 'Who the hell are you two?' The girl—Hayley looked at the two new strangers in front of her.

'Give us a moment, please.' Elijah took Thea by her hand, and Sophie nodded. She asked one of the witches to lead Hayley to a vault with Elijah and Hayley following behind them. The burial vault was lit by numerous candles on the walls around them. 'So, have they been holding you here against your will?' Elijah asked as he looked around the moist wall of the vault. Hayley looked at the vampire before glancing at Thea who's sitting next to her. 'They lured me out to the bayou and grabbed me. And they did all these... weird witchy tests. Not that I understand how this could happen. I mean, vampires are dead. They can't have children!'

'Well, perhaps if you knew his brother's story, it might explain how this is possible.' Thea explained and Hayley's eyebrows shot up, 'I'm Thea.' She held her hand and the werewolf accepted it friendly, 'You knew Klaus? I assume you're a vampire too. He sired you?' Hayley asked and Thea shook her head, 'Some 'unknown' vampire attacked me and apparently he's not good at controlling it after a hundred years of being one to know that you should never leave your food _alive_.' Hayley watched as she glanced sharply at the older vampire from the corner of her eyes. He replied with nothing but a smile. Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she excused herself, leaving the vault to the vampire and werewolf. 'I'm sorry about my wife's behaviour.'

'**I heard you and we are no longer together as you agreed earlier**.' Thea yelled all the way from outside.

Hayley's forehead crumbled at the word, 'So you turned her and married her? Sound like a case of clichés and guilt.' Elijah smiled and sat on the bench, 'Guilty at first, but I grew fond of her long before she was turned. I was craving and hungry for her affection when she was just a human. My fond towards her grew into regrets and remorse when I mistakenly attacked her then her family later; when they was attacked by my brother. So I took her under my wings; sworn to her father and mother to take care of her, nourish her and to make sure that the power I've mistakenly given her won't take away the little pieces of humanity left inside of her. The part when I've loved the most. How human she was and how _humanl_y she've made me felt. I sired her. Siring wasn't enough, so I courted her later. Cliché but—' Elijah shrugged. He tried to lay his hand on Hayley's temple but she recoiled. 'What are you doing?'

'Relax. if you open your mind to me, I can show you what Thea've said earlier.' Hayley nodded and Elijah placed his hand on her temple. Their eyes closed.

'In the beginning, our family was a human—' Thea stopped in front of the entrance, leaning against it. Her phone was still at her ear but she couldn't help to eavesdrops at them both, '—well that was a thousand years ago, now.' She knew Elijah was feeding her with his memory. 'Although our mother dabbled in the dark arts, we were actually just a family trying to survive in a time when it was quite difficult to do so. And, for better or worse, we were happy.' She watched as he opened his eyes; his forehead crumbled and fell; grief overwhelmed him, 'That is, however, until one night, our youngest brother was killed by our village's greatest threat. Men that could transform themselves into wolves during the full moon. Our family was devastated, none more than Niklaus. Desperate to protect the rest of us, our father forced our mother to call upon her black magic in order to make us stronger. Thus, the first vampires were born. But with this speed, this strength, this immortality, came a terrible hunger. No one felt this hunger more than Niklaus. When he killed for the first time, we knew what he truly was. He wasn't just a vampire.' His hand fell and Hayley opened her eyes, 'He was also a werewolf.' Thea and Hayley spoke at the same time, mentioning them about her presence. 'That's how the werewolf curse. It isn't activated until you take a life. So, Niklaus was the result of an indiscretion their mother had hidden from them all. An affair, with a werewolf like yourself. ' Thea walked towards them; Elijah gave her some space to sit. Elijah looked down at her and she shrugged, 'You told me the story once remember?' Hayley watched in fascination; wondering how can he could stare at her with so much of affection.

He turned his attention back to the werewolf; back to the story, 'Infuriated by this betrayal, my father forced our mother to cast a spell that would suppress Klaus's werewolf side, denying him any connection with his true self.' He continued to feed her with his memory before Hayley came out with a conclusion, 'Your dad was a dick.' Thea snickered, 'I like this girl.' She said, getting back to her feet, leaning on the wall beside the entrance, busy herself with her phone. Elijah smiled. She held her hand up and Elijah took it. 'I'm Hayley, by the way. You should probably know my name if you're gonna tell me your whole life story. I mean, I know yours. Your family is legendary. Your brother is a notorious psycho—who I slept with. Classic me.'

Elijah leaned back, 'I cannot excuse his behaviour, but you must understand, when our father hunted him–hunted us–for centuries, every time we found a moment of happiness, we were forced to flee. Even here, in New Orleans, where we were happiest of all.' Elijah turned to glance at the other vampire; she lifted her eyes from the screen to meet his where she_ did_ find a glimpse of happiness in it. 'Not long after Niklaus broke the spell which prevented him from becoming a hybrid, he defeated our father. I thought this would make him happy.' He shook his head, 'He was angrier than ever. I wonder if perhaps this baby might be a way for my brother to find happiness. A way to save him from himself.'

'I'm glad you feel that way, because we need your help.' Their attentions were adverted to Sophie who entered the vault. 'What, precisely, is it that you want and what does it have to do with this young woman?' Elijah questioned her. 'We want to run Marcel and his vampires out of town. Klaus is the key. Everything Marcel knows about being a vampire, he learned from Klaus. Marcel trusts him, looks up to him, and he won't see the betrayal coming.' Thea stepped out of the darkness wailing her hands around, 'You've seen him just now. I'm surely you are no aware that Nik doesn't like to be followed or to be ordered.' Thea disagreed. 'That's why I brought you here. Marcel drove the werewolves out of town decades ago. Do you really think he's going to welcome a hybrid baby to the neighbourhood? Convince Klaus to help us, and no one has to know about the newest member of the Original family.' Sophie blackmailed, looking back and forth at both Elijah and Thea.

'That sounds remarkably like blackmail.' Elijah's eyes squinted. 'Elijah, we have to go. Nik made a scene back in Marcel's bar.' Thea insisted. 'Like I said, I'm desperate.' Sophie suggested strongly. Elijah stood and buttoned his coat. 'Well then, I have my work cut out for me don't I?' Elijah cradled the vampire's cheek and kissed it, 'You stay here and take care of her. I'll be back; as fast as I could.' The girl sighed and nodded watching the nobleman disappear through the entrance.

'Do you mind leaving us alone?' Thea asked, her hands crossed against her chest. The witch looked at her in suspicious before Sophie motioned them out, settling one witch at the entrance in case they tried to flee. 'Don't you think that after what I just did to you that you would just trust me?' Thea asked but they paid her no attention. 'Witches being witches.' She muttered below breath before settling down beside Hayley. 'Elijah told me that you both are married.' The older girl snickered, 'Cliché huh?' Hayley laughed but still nodded, 'Did he tell you that we are divorced?' The werewolf looked at her, shocked. 'Are you—God, you both look so happy.'

'He had to flee, he told me that he had to; that I was better off without him, so he fled one morning, leaving me his family mansion and a divorce certificate; waiting for my signature.' Hayley looked at her and she smirked, 'Haa, of course I didn't.' Thea tucked some loosen strains behind her ears, 'I couldn't bring myself too.' Her eyes were dreamy and her lips curled, 'I was plainly too in love with him to let go of him. Clearly I think he knew it too.' Hours felt like minutes to her as she've lost the track fo time. They heard rumbling of feet against the grass and numerous voices. They watched Klaus and Elijah walked in the vault. 'You too. I can't believe you've taken his side too.' Klaus leaped toward her and she backed slowly. Some witches surrounded them. 'It is impossible.'

'I said the same thing myself.' Elijah agreed.

'This is a lie. You are all lying.' Klaus pointed to each one of them before turning his attention, 'Vampire cannot procreate.' He said—or to be precise he asking the girl. 'I know, Nik, but—' Thea shuttered. 'But werewolves can.' She said, turning her back on him. His attention adverted to the Deveraux witch, 'But werewolves can. Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf. You're the Original Hybrids; the first of your kind. And this pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes.' Klaus turned to Hayley, 'You've been with someone else, admit it!' He screamed leaping towards her. Elijah stood in front of her while Thea found herself tangled; wrapping her arms around the angry hybrid. 'Klaus, Klaus—' She pulled him behind calming him down. 'Hey, I've spent days held captive in a freaking alligator bayou because they think that I'm carrying some magical miracle baby. Don't you think I would've fessed up if it wasn't yours?' Hayley mouthed angrily. When she decided that Klaus was calm enough, Thea slowly let him go. 'My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy. Because of Jane-Anne's sacrifice, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us. We can keep them save. Or we can kill them. If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Hayley won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress.' The vampires, the hybrid and Hayley snapped. 'Wait what?' She yelled.

'Enough of this. If you want Marcel dead, he's dead; I'll do it myself.'

Sophie shook her head, disagreeing with Elijah''No. We can't, not yet. We have a clear plan that we need to follow, and there are rules.' Elijah looked at Klaus, waiting for his reaction while Thea stepped in front of the hybrid. But he pushed her aside, 'How dare you command me, threaten me, with what you wrongfully perceive to be my weaknesses. This is a pathetic deception. I won't hear any more lies.'

'Elijah do something.' Thea insisted.

'Niklaus!' Elijah raised his voice enough for the hybrid to listen and turned around, staring at both Mikaelsons, 'Listen.' He muttered. Klaus can hear the heartbeat of the baby. He looked at Hayley, then at his brother and his in law and the witches. He shook his head and marched away, 'Kill her and the baby. What do I care?' He left. 'Oh god, Nik.' Thea ran towards him, 'Nik! Niklaus!' She called for him, disappearing out the entrance. Hayley looked so done as she decided to march out, 'Screw this. I'm out of here.' But the witches blocked her way. Elijah turned to face Sophie, 'Nobody touches this girl. I'll fix this.'

Sophie nodded.

* * *

'Klaus, would you listen to me for a second?'

Thea rushed to compete with his marching, 'It's a trick, Thea. I knew you better to know that you're actually falling for this.' Klaus stopped, pointing his finger right in front of her face before turning on heels again. 'No brother.' Elijah stopped him, 'It's a gift. It's your chance—_our chance_.'

'To what?' He asked.

'To start over.' Thea said. Elijah nodded, 'To start over. Take back everything we lost, everything that was taken from us. Niklaus, our own parents came to despise us. Our family was ruined – we were ruined. And since then, all that you have ever wanted – all that we have ever wanted was a family.' Klaus shook his head, 'Klaus, you have something that I wanted the most. Something that I and Elijah _can't _have.' Thea muttered, cupping his face with her palm softly, 'Don't you want it. Your own child to hold; an heir for Niklaus Mikaelson, the famous most fearsome hybrid. Don't you want a family, Nik?' The hybrid swatted her hands away, 'I will not be manipulated.'

'So they're manipulating you. So what? With them, this girl and her child – your child – live.' Elijah convinced him, holding him by his shoulder. 'I'm going to kill every last one of them.' He shoved Elijah and turned away but once again Elijah vamp-speeded over and blocked him. 'And then what? Then you return to Mystic Falls to resume your life as the hated one, as the evil hybrid? Is it so important to you that people quake with fear at the sound of your name?' Thea walked over to them but Elijah held his hand up, stopping her. 'People quake with fear because I have the power to make them afraid. What will this child offer me? Will it guarantee me power?' Thea pushed her hair behind, quavered in her own anger

. 'Klaus! Family _is _power.'

'And that is always true about how family _is_ power, Niklaus.' Elijah repeated, 'Love, loyalty – that's power. This is what we swore to one another a thousand years ago, before life tore away what little humanity you had left, before ego, before anger, before paranoia created in this person before me someone I can barely even recognize as my own brother. This is _us_, the Original family-me, you, Rebekah and Thea and we remain together, always and forever. I am asking you to stay here. I will help you and I will stand by you. I will be your brother. We will build a home here together.' Elijah placed his hands on either side of Klaus' neck; his face was so gloomy and desperate. He was begging for his brother to save the werewolf, 'So save this girl. Save your child.' Klaus brought his own hand to Elijah's neck in brotherly gesture. It broke her heart when the younger brother whispered stubbornly a no and walked away, leaving them two devastated.

'Are you alright?' Elijah asked to the girl before him, when she sunk down on a chair nearby. 'Did you see him? We was so close—we almost got him but—' He kneel and caressed her cheek gently. 'We did our best. I'll confront him again and try my best to convince him again to save this poor child's life.' She nodded and he helped her back on her feet.

'You—uh y—you go and check on the wer—Hayley, I'll try and find Klaus.'

'Are you sure?'

'I am.' Uncertain of what have possessed her, she leaned forward. He caught her act. Her hands were grasping for hold of his coat and his hands wrapped around her waist as their lips once touched again after 300 years. He could taste the earlier Scotch and lingering bitter taste of the cigarette she had earlier. Her sinful lips felt so forbidden for him to return the kiss yet it was so soft, so gentle to say no too. 'I'm sorry.' She muttered when she drew back. He chuckled at the confused, naïve look of her face. 'How many Scotch did you have earlier? And when did you start smoking.' He questioned softly.

'I don't know.' She drew back and disappeared in the thin air leaving the poor man alone, 'I don't even know.'

* * *

_Marcel's bar,_

'You find him and then you call me. Don't worry. I know how to deal with Klaus.'

Out of blue, Elijah appeared; leaning his body against the door frame. 'Is that so?' He muttered, 'Please elaborate.' Marcel smiled forcefully, forcing himself to welcome another Mikaelson in his town, 'Elijah Mikaelson.' At the sound of the name, Marcel's entourage of vampire cohorts seated around the half empty restaurant rose to their feet, readily to attack. 'Now there boys, there is not a good way to treat an old family of your sire here.' Elijah's lips curled into a smile and Marcel was burning in anger. Marcel and his cohorts watched as Thea walked inside the bar, her heels clicked against the wooden floor. The bodyguards watched as the girl bravely took a seat right in front of their sire, crossing the jean-covered legs. 'No. I got it. It's all good.' Marcel motioned them to stand down and offered Elijah a seat. 'How's Klaus?' Elijah asked softly looking over at the girl beside him. 'Good, drunk. Demanding to be alone.' She muttered before turning her attention to Marcel, 'It's time for we three to hved a little chat, isn't it Elijah?'

'Well if you're going to talk, talk.' He talked sternly, 'I got things to do.'

'Oh my, you have grown quite confident over the last century, haven't you?' Elijah said, unbuttoning the coat off. Marcel laughed and chugged down the whole glass of his drink. 'Me? I'd say it's you and your brother who got cocky, coming to my town like you own the place.' Marcel averted his eyes toward the girl whose busy staring at one of his daywalkers like she was ready to eat him. 'And you? I aspect something better more respectful of you.' Thea sneered, crossing her arms; her lips formed a pout along way. 'Well what can I say? Klaus isn't really the type who stops and listens. There's no way of putting a leash on the ferocious wolf. You can't blame them for coming here and acting like their own this damn place especially Klaus.' She slammed her hands on the table, 'Because he _does_.' She yelled, her chair was thrown backward towards the wall. One of the daywalkers pulled her by her shoulder and she responded by gripping on the poor vampire's wrist; twisting and gripping so hard the bones broke. One kick sent the vampire crouching with blood pouring out of his mouth. Another leaped towards her sending a blow on her face. She sneered, repositioning her jaws back to its place to send comeback blow along with snapping his neck down to a deep slumber.

'Hold on, hold on.' Marcel stood.

'Althaea.' Elijah warned her, gently with a slight tone of Elijah Mikaelson's strictness.

Thea's menacing smile grew wider and she let go of the vampire she was holding onto by his neck. 'That's no fun of you.' She took a glimpse at Elijah and he looked back Marcel, a little smirk crept up his face, 'As you see we did own the place once. We were all quite happy here as I recall. But we could never control those pesky witches of the French Quarter. How do you do it?' Thea strode towards Elijah's side. If Marcel had his daywalkers and nightwalkers as his troops, at least all she do is offer a little bit of protection to the Original. That quick bite of the wandering tourist gave her a quite big boost on her confidence. She was all refresh and ready to play her part. 'Your brother asked me the same question. I gave him the same answer: It's my business. Everything in the Quarter is my business. Klaus comes into town all nice and friendly, then he starts looking down his nose at what I've down like it's some cheap knock-off of one of his dumb paintings, then he gets pissed off like a little bitch and bites one of my guys.' Thea flipped her hair behind and smirked, 'Well, my love I do apologize for Klaus' poor behaviour. That poor boy has a serious case of paranoia and insecurity. But I assume you know that the bite will kill your friend within a matter of days. Of course, Niklaus' blood would cure him.'

Those two pair shared a cautious glance and Elijah nodded. Marcel's eyes squinted eyeing the mischievous pair, 'What?' He asked focusing his attention more towards the gentleman. 'You don't think I'm lying aren't you Marcel. That's so rude whereas I'm here offering you a way to help your little troop where I can actually be at somewhere more important than here and you're accusing me of lying? Subtle indeed.'

'Yes, apparently the blood of the hybrid will cure a werewolf bite. Quite a handy little thing when one needs leverage in negotiation.' Elijah explained. 'What kind of negotiations are we talking about?' Elijah turned his head slightly towards his other half, 'What is it that you want, my love?' He asked. She chortled and leaned forwards, placing both of her hands on the table. A daunting smile etched on her face, 'Return the body of my friend; the witch Jane Anne. Let her people put her to rest.' Marcel closed the distance; mocking her with a smile, 'What do you care about the witches?'

She chuckled and retreated back, 'Well, that's my business, now isn't it?'

After retrieving the body of the fallen witch, both of the vampires went separate ways. With her heightened strength of a 900 years old vampire, Thea carried the dead witch back to the cemetery. The church clock from a distance tolled and she knew Elijah was running out of time. She stepped inside the cemetery ground, paced swiftly towards the mausoleum where she had sensed them. 'The time is up. What're you gonna do now, Sophie?' She heard the earlier witch Klaus met at the Bourbon Street. The witch by the name of Agnes. 'I'm gonna do what I said I was gonna do.' Sophie defended herself. 'Klaus does not care about the child.' Agnes shouted and it was her queue to barge in before any of the witches could harm the werewolf.

'Well, I do. Elijah do.' She carefully walked into the mausoleum; carrying the body of Jane-Anne.

Far away from the cemetery, Elijah found Klaus sitting along on the bench. He then took a seat beside his brother. 'Are you here to give me another pep talk on the joys of fatherhood?' Elijah leaned back, 'I've said all I needed to say.' Klaus leaned forward, clutching his hand together, 'I forgot how much I liked this town.'

'I didn't.' The two shared a gaze, 'All the centuries we've spent together, and yet I can count on one hand the number of times that our family has been truly happy. I hated leaving here.' Elijah muttered; a glimpse of sadness hidden inside his voice. 'As did I.' Elijah looked over at his brother, trying to read the psychotic face of the one he used to call a brother. 'What is on your mind brother?'

'For a thousand years, I lived in fear. Any time I settled anywhere, our father would hunt me down and... chase me off. He made me feel powerless, and I hated it. This town was my home once, and in my absence, Marcel has gotten everything that I ever wanted. Power, loyalty, family. I made him in my image and he has bettered me. I want what he has. I want to be king.' Klaus revealed in much of a shock to his elder brother.

'Elijah has something to work on to.' Thea said, back at the mausoleum. 'We managed to get something that is seemed to belong to you.'Thea kneel down, laying the cold body of Jane-Anne down slowly and as gently as possible, 'And here I am bringing proof of my intent—our intent to help you. We managed to persuade Marcel in returning the body of your sister, which we procured ourselves.' Sophie pulled the girl against her lap, 'Jane-Anne,' She whispered. 'I hope this would bring a little peace to her and all of you.' She stood up, hooking her thumbs on the pocket of her jeans. 'Klaus will agree to your terms. I'll sure of them but Elijah need a little more time.' She revealed her intention.

'You had your time. It's passed.' The witch Agnes beside her snapped. 'Shut up, Agnes.' Sabine hissed. 'For now, please accept the deal. The girl and the child will remain unharmed or Klaus will kill you. Both Klaus and Elijah.' The girl walked away but turned around anyway, 'I'll be gladly to help my dearest Klaus with much pleasure.' Thea turned to Hayley and smiled, 'I'll come and fetch you tomorrow morning. Be safe.'

As Thea left, taking a long walk in along the forest back to the Quarter, Klaus and Elijah were still sitting in the deserted street, discussing over the deal. Elijah stood up, glancing down at his brother. 'And what of Hayley and the baby?'

'Every king needs an heir.' With a smile, Klaus shrugged him off, 'Tell Sophie Deveraux that she have the deal.

* * *

**Thank you to Adorkable-dorkus,Kassandra J, SweetSnow01, The Mystery is in the Words, WillowTheMischeifMaker, XxStephanieDivaxX for adding this to their follow list. Reviews are welcomed the most**


	3. case for shame

_a cold case for a shame  _

* * *

Thea clung on her pea coat, walking through the decreasing crowd of people in Bourbon Street. Her watch's ticking 3.45 am; no wonder people were getting lesser and lesser. Most of them were nightwalkers feeding to satisfy their hunger before the sun rise. The wind was blowing hard and cold, munching on her skin. Her feet were aching from the walking made from the cemetery at the edge of the Quarter back to the Bourbon Street at the other end of the Quarter—thanks to her heels. She felt her phone rang and vibrating her pocket, but for tonight, she was just too out of the mood to answer to anyone. Not even her mother, not even Cato, not even Elijah or Klaus. Whatever they did, it's their mess to clean up, and it was no longer hers to stick her nose in.

The gush of wind came out of nowhere; blowing extra harder as it managed to blow her fedora out of her head. She yelled out of shock, trying to reach it but her fingers missed it. The weird twisting of her body in attempt of catching the fedora caused her to lose her balance and fell but a pair of arms caught her before she did. The same hand put the fedora back on her head and she laughed. 'You've been stalking of my whereabouts, Messieurs Mikaelson?' The older vampire helped her back on her feet—her _heels_ and shrugged. 'I've been trying to reach you. I guess you dropped the phone somewhere?' Elijah asked as they continued walking. She shook her head, looking down to her heels. 'No, I just—I'm just tired of sticking my nose into your family business.'

'You mean our family business?'

She chuckled and nodded, 'I mean our family business. If I am actually a family member.'

Elijah's brave wondering hand found his way towards her cold hand swinging on the side of the body. 'Do you mind?' He asked. The fingers laced, fitting together even after 300 years. She mocked him with a smile, 'Shouldn't it be no problem when it is _yours_?' Nevertheless, she tightened the hold and the bodies grew closer. He smiled at the girl's boldness. From a distance, they'll look like a mismatched pair; one would look as charismatic and as charming as a business man in his suit while the other would look like a typical hipster-wannabe college girl in her fedora and sweater and her heels. Nevertheless the mismatched—the differences were what actually brought them close. He was a beast; she brought the humanity in him. Surprisingly she still does. She haven't lose the touch

'How was Klaus?' she asked when she realised they've been walking in total silence. 'He agreed. It took me a while to break his wall although I still knew there's still more walls behind it that I need to work on. He told me about how Marcel had been made by his image and he had crossed him—bettered him. The poor brother wanted what he has. That he wanted to be a king.' Elijah told her. 'So those that all this child means to him?' She asked, 'That child was a grab for power?' Their hands swung back and forth before slowing down when they finally reached her complex. Elijah shrugged at her question. She sat down on the staircase and pat a spot form him to seat right next to her. 'What does it mean to you?' She leaned against the wall of the stairs, 'What does this child do to you to deserve all of your attention?' Elijah stared across the distance; his breath was heavy. 'I think this child could offer him the one thing that Klaus've never believed he had.' He glanced at her and smiled, 'The unconditional love of family.' They looked at each other and she placed a hand on his knee, closing the distance.

'You want a child. That's what the child truly meant to you.' Elijah didn't look surprise. The girl managed to look right passed him. He couldn't blame her. They have been together for hundreds of years to know what they both desired and loathed for. 'If I didn't go on that rampage we probably had one. Or we probably had generations of them.' She leaned her hand on his lap and shook her head; she disagreed. 'Then, I wouldn't be here lying on your lap talking about your brother's plan of world domination. It is still the same.' She jolted up and her hands went to cup his face, 'Elijah, sometimes we don't have options. And you can't blame yourself for that. You weren't the one who had to face that. Everyone had too. Sometimes they made a bad option, sometimes they don't. It depends on what their hearts want.' Her hand ran down his shoulder; down to his chest where his heart laid. She could feel the beating of his hand against her hand, as if she was holding his _heart _in it, 'It depends on what your heart wants.'

She drew back and smiled, 'So don't go around feeding on the thought of this is my fault kind of shit.' They looked at each other, 'I'm tired of saving you from yourself.' She muttered, half-heartedly. Elijah nodded and smiled, 'What have I grown in love with?' He whispered and she laughed, 'A psychotic sarcastic vampire with so much humanity that actually disqualify her from being a vampire who married her murderer who's now sitting with him with a couple of grads in her file?' She asked and he shook his head. He caught her totally off guard as he leaned forward; shamelessly capturing her soft lips against his. 'Just a _humanly _you.' He whispered, scooping her on her feet. The kiss never broke as they managed to make their ways upstairs, opening and shutting the door before vamp-speeded upstairs to the second floor where her apartment is at. She fumbled with her keys and heels as the door opened, throwing it all aside as she leaped back into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. He had shed of his coat on the way and her hand untied his tie in a short magnificent amount of time.

'Elija—Elijah, stop.' She muttered, distancing her lips from his for second.

'Yes?' His voice was deep and raspy; it gave her spine a shudder. 'Slowly.' She muttered and with a smile, their lips touched once again. This time, they went on slowly—it was painful for them since they weren't together for such a long period but worth. His palms made its way under her sweater, her body burned at where his fingers touched. A soft gasp escaped her lips forming his name. His lips travelled down her jaws, pressing down on where her heart was beat strong. His name escaped her lips again and he silenced her with his kiss. 'Don't stop.' Her lips fluttered against his as she peeked up at him through her dark, long lashes. He took a great satisfaction on how his touch could affect her. Her skinny, delicate fingers trailed up his _now_-naked arms giving him a totally unexplainable chill and up along the curve of his shoulder and neck. Up at his jaw then lost in his tousled hair. Surrounded by the current silence of 4 am of New Orleans, nothing beat the warmth of the bed with the person she claimed she doesn't love anymore. Turned out it was nothing but a lie.

With the speed their have, clothes all gone and they were pressing their bare skin together and Elijah—he was no longer the noble one anymore. Her little mind wondered how a person could go up close to another that there were no spaces between them. She watched every detail he made—rubbing his thumb on the back of her hand and brought it up to his lips, pressing a chaste kiss on the knuckles. 'Elijah, the noble one—doesn't seem like one anymore.' She whispered out of breath. He huffed, as if he was disagreeing with her. His hard member was hard against her bare crotch and she could swear she couldn't take it any longer. 'Elijah.' She gasped when he lowered his body for a kiss—pressing his crotch harder against her. Her eye lids fluttered innocently and Elijah loved it. Every inch of her body—every part of her soul.

'Are you going to keep distracting me with all of your kisses—' She panted for air, but her smile never left, '—or are you going to make love to me?'

Elijah's face broke in shocked at her eagerness and they both laughed. Her arms snaked behind her neck pulling him down to kiss him; her legs worked together, wrapped around his waist as she pulled him down slowly humping him. He let a deep growl against his lips, nipping on her bottom lips. 'Thea.' he whispered, his harsh deep voice somehow had turned her on in a way nobody would understand. Her name left his lips like a chant as he aligned himself and his hips surged forward, pushing inside slowly and as gentle as possible. She let a loud sharp moan and he gave her time to adjust. His pace was slow and gentle. Shock had turned to pleasure and she tightened his arms around him as he pounded her.

The room witnessed the bonding of them after 300 years of each other's absence. 'If I know what I've lost when I left you—' He quivered against her lips. She watched the feature of his face—the beads of sweat forming on his skin, the wrinkles of his forehead of focusing, the muscles of his skin contracting and relaxing, his gapping lips where the gasps and moans escape and she realised it was true. She wished she knew what she lost when he left. What was she thinking when she thought that being off without him is okay. Her place was with him and for now she didn't think of letting it go. She moaned, rolling her eyes in total pleasure as she felt her stomach twisted into a knot as she came. His thrusts were getting sloppier and she watches as the vampire tensed, his grip on her hands getting tighter that her knuckles were bloodless. His breath quickened and in seconds, he reached his peak.

'You're mad.' She chuckled. 'You're a completely a mad bonker.'

* * *

Elijah gathered her body in his arms, scattering butterfly kisses on her shoulder and its blade. It took her a long time to regain her sense and to think of what's happening. He slipped his own arms around her, his fingers resting in her bare stomach. Her eyes fluttered lazily, she was tired. She turned over to face him. When her eyes popped open and locked onto his, she swore her heart was caught in her throat. 'How long I've been out?' She asked. She can feel his lips grazing softly on her shoulder. 'Long enough to miss the sun rise.' She didn't really caught much of what he was talking, quite distracted by the sensation of his weight pressing down on her.

She ran her hand in her hair and gathered the comforter against her chest as she sat up, 'I promised Hayley to pick her up.' He watched from behind as her back hunched upward and downward as she breathed. 'I'll do it.' He offered, sitting up slowly running his calloused hand on her bare back. He disappeared into the bathroom and came out the bathroom minutes later fully dressed up in his slack pants and his dress shirt. Thea herself already slipped into her shirt and short she found from her pile of clothes by the closet, standing by the balcony staring at the noisy Quarter. 'Are you sure you'll be fine?' She asked, drawing back from the place her stand to his side. Her hands busily tied his tie and corrected his collar before helping him with his coat. 'I'm totally capable of that in case you didn't forget.' He said, while correcting his cuff. 'I'm just—I've missed doing it.' She confessed. 'Where gone this confidence, strong headed vampire who took down 2 guys in an exceptionally impressive way?'

She smirked, 'She has her time. And she took down 4 guys if you forgot the ally.' She opened the door and he stood in front of her, staring deep in her blue eyes. '2 guys.' He muttered as he captured her lips for a goodbye kiss, 'I took down the remaining 2.' She held him down, running her thumbs on his angled jaws, 'Elijah. What are we?' She questioned, 'What was last night?' Elijah caressed her worried face, 'It was me and my wife; it was me and you. It was _us_, don't feed yourself with other foul thoughts.' He held her close, feeling as her chest expanded and contracted again as she took a deep breath. She felt a kiss on her temple and a smile broke over her face, 'I love you.' He whispered but then he was gone.

She stood there. She ran her hand against her neck and she nodded. 'Don't ruin yourself with those horrible thoughts, you mad bonker. Just don't.' She chanted and closed her door.

* * *

'So how do you propose this will work?'

Elijah arrived at the cemetery with Sophie, one of his hands hooked at the pocket of his pant. 'Your brother needs to cement his place in Marcel's world.' Sophie stopped in front of the mausoleum where they've kept Hayley overnight. 'His inner circle, the daywalkers—that's where we begin. They're his friends, his family. We'll be hitting him where it hurts.'

Far from the cemetery, Klaus arrived and made his way to Marcel's place. He pushed down some of his daywalkers and entered a room where the man he bitten and poisoned with his werewolf blood laid dying, surrounded by others, including Marcel. When Klaus entered the room, Marcel and Diego rose defensively. 'Well, I had time to sleep on it last night.' Klaus motioned Marcel with the corner of his eyes and he motioned Diego to stand down; to not attack the man who hold the key to Theirry's survival. 'I am not your enemy. Where my family and I failed this town—' Klaus smiled and pointed to Marcel, '—Marcel succeeded.'

Klaus glanced around and his eyes met the tray full of glasses and tall bottles of booze. He reached over the drink tray and picked up a glass. His fang lengthened and he bit his palm. He clutched his hand in to a fist and held it over the glass. The hybrid's blood dripped down. 'My blood—as you know—will heal him. As it thought it never happened.' He held the glass toward Marcel. He nodded at Diego who took the glass and gave it to his friend. 'The Quarter is your home, but I would like to stay a while,' The hybrid shrugged, 'if I'm still welcome.' His man recovered well and Marcel's wide grin smeared across his face and he placed his hands on Klaus' neck, chuckling. 'Of course you are.' The guy said and Klaus excused himself.

Later outside, Klaus stood by the crowd as he observed the small parade of people dancing and performing down a street. He took out his phone and dialled a number. To his gloom, it reached the mailbox. He decided then to leave a message then hanged up. With a smile, he pocketed his phone and continues his way down the street.

_Caroline. I'm standing in one of my favourite places in the world, surrounded by food, music, art, culture, and all I can think about is how much I want to show it to you. _

_Maybe one day you'll let me._

* * *

_Mikaelsons' Mansion_,

After a quick shower and nap, Hayley decided to explore the room of the big mansion. It was the mansion that used to belong to all Klaus, Rebekah, Elijah and even the dearest Thea before they were forced to flee. She found the studies and a couple more rooms—one belonged to Rebekah as the room was filled with a hand-painted portrait of her, one she guessed belong to the two of Thea and Elijah and surprisingly a baby room.

She walked inside the dusty room and reached the curtain, letting the sun shine in the dark room. She brushed the dust away and opened the window letting the warm breeze flew in the room. She heard something creaking and found Elijah leaning over a crib. 'We were supposed to adopt a baby for this room.' When Hayley looked at him confused, he smiled, 'Me and Thea—it was a boy; we were going to name him Henrik as respect toward my decreased brother. But I had to flee and I guessed Thea cancelled the adoption. She was even barely great with herself.' He explained touching of what Hayley saw as a wooden rocking crib. 'Are you alright?' She nodded, 'Just dust. This place is ancient.' She peeled the white cloth but Elijah took the rest of it. He folded it and settled it aside. 'Yes, it should serve our purposes. It's a sanctuary from our business in the Quarter. Right now, you are the most important person in this family. You need a good home. So I'm curious—' He returned to the girl's side, '—in all this time, has anyone asked you how you feel?'

Hayley's face broke into a smile, 'About having a miracle baby with a psychotic one-night-stand?' The corner of Elijah's lips curled upward, 'About being a mother.' He said and the girl laughed. Her face fell down and her demeanour changed, 'I – I was abandoned when I was born and my adoptive parents kicked me out the second that I turned into a wolf. So—I don't really know how I feel about being a mother because I—I never really had a good one.' Elijah put a hand on top of her, 'I will always protect you. You have my word on that.'

A demeaning laughter interrupted her and they turned to see Klaus had joined them; leaning against the door frame. 'And the noble Elijah always keeps his word.' Elijah narrowed his eyes and decided to shrug the argument off. 'Is it done?' He asked and the younger vampire nodded, 'As a matter of fact, yes. Your underhanded deal worked quite well. Marcel was only too happy to accept my blood even as he accepted my heartfelt apologies. His man, Thierry, yet lives and I remain a welcome guest in the French Quarter. My only concern now is this coven of impudent witches.'

Elijah excused himself from Hayley and exited the room, 'I believe them to be honorable. They did release Hayley to me. Although, they haven't been entirely forthcoming. Marcel obviously has something that they need. They don't want him dead. There must be a reason why.'

* * *

Klaus found Elijah creeping in a room—he guessed it is a study room judging to the tall shelves and table in the middle of the small room. 'In addition to the secret weapon he uses to control the witches, Marcel has assembled a small army of vampires. Working together, we can destroy them from the inside.' Elijah told him, without turning his back at the hybrid. He was busy tending the white sheet covering the desk. 'And what of Rebekah? Has she stopped her pouting long enough to join the fun?'

He made his way to the drink tray and pulled the cork off the bottle. Elijah pulled the sheet of and folded it away, 'She has made her disinterest quite clear.' He told, remembering his quick trip to visit his dearest sister back in their other mansion back in Mystic Fall; long enough to shrug a dead weight of Katherine of his shoulders. He has his wife back by his side, he was no longer in need of her. 'One too many times daggered and shoved in a box, I gather? Or perhaps she doesn't share your unwavering belief that I can be saved.' Klaus poured himself a drink and corked the bottle back, 'How about your old flame?' He asked leaning against the window ledge. Elijah looked up from the box of his property he was tending, 'How about my wife?' He asked as he settled a frame of a picture of her on the table. 'Well, does your _wife_ tend to share the same unwavering belief of yours that I can be saved?'

'Althaea has a quite distinctive mind. Her complexity made her way on the same pedestal as you are. But—' Klaus chuckled and settled his drink down, 'But what? Which part of her is so complex, brother? All I see is a vampire who still believe she could be as noble as you—as human as human can be but she know she can't. The only complexity she has is with accepting herself as vampire and move on.' Klaus made his way to Elijah who had taken more interest on the lamp instead of his brother's rambling about his wife, 'Thought, I hope she stays far away. Both of them; both of my favourite Rebekah and Althaea because in my desire to reclaim this town; to steal from Marcel that which he holds most dear, I have realized one massive vulnerability. One weakness that Marcel could exploit.' Elijah turned to face his brother, 'And what is that?'

'_You_.'

With that, Klaus drove the silver dagger to the eldest Mikaelson's heart. The poor guy groaned and he stared at the hybrid with disgust.

'Forgive me, my brother but there is no power in love. Mercy makes you weak. Family makes you weak. If I am going to win this war, I have to do it alone.'

* * *

Thea stood patiently in front of the door of her family home waiting it to be opened. She left this place a long time ago leaving her brother as a sole caretaker of her mentally-ill mother and desiccated father. She left Mikaelson's Mansion after unable to contain herself 2 weeks after Elijah's departure to return to her family's arms. Being a vampire, her emotion amplified; sadness becomes grief and pain becomes agony. For the rest of the year, she pulled a Niklaus Mikaelson and started ripping again. She threw a big messy—bloody temper tantrum, desiccated her father; became this reckless, humanless vampire. But the grief and the agony were long gone. She guessed, but that will never stop her in finding a redemption with her own blood; her family.

The door finally opened and she was greeted by the mid-age lady. She knew it right from her heart that she is her mother. 'Hello, mother.' She took her hand and gathered it to her heart as if she was asking for her return to be blessed. The mother did; running her old wrinkly hand in her soft brown hair, mouthing on the return of her sole daughter. 'How are you been doing?' She asked and the mother smiled. 'I made some soup. Lentils. Come in. Come on let's eat.' Completely ignoring her daughter's question, she pulled her daughter inside and closed the door leading her straight toward the kitchen. The kitchen didn't look like what a _kitchen _supposed to be. There were vials of liquids and jars of herbs scattered on the high top table and old papyrus papers scattered around with ancient writings of spells tucked under the jars. Her mother was indeed cooking, throwing in spices and herbs and fresh vegetables she guessed came from the patches of garden she was working on in the yard.

'How's dad—father?'

She thought that her mother wasn't the _dad _type but more to _father_ type. 'He's sleeping.' The old woman smiled and pointed upstairs with the knife. Her stomach lurched. 'That old man slept all day. I guess he was tired. You should go and wake him up. Tell him to join us.' She got back to her work and Thea hesitated. She didn't know what kind of sick joke her mother's playing on her. Acting all fucked up and mentally-ill. She got off her chair and turned to the stairs before abruptly stopped. 'Mother.' She called softly. Her mother responded with a soft '_mm.._phh' and she startled. 'Have you been doing it again?'

'Doing what?'

'You know what I mean. I mean for the aging spell, the immortality spell; all of the spells which have been keeping you _impossibly_ alive for a human for almost _800_ years. That fucked up shit, are you still doing it?' She questioned with her voice raised. The living room echoed her voice and her mother stopped the track. 'My dear, I—' Her mother shuttered and she groaned. 'Oh god.' She shook her head and left to upstairs, ignoring the same reason she'll be repeating her whole life.

_I just wanted to protect you._

_I want to be by yours and Cato's side._

_I need to find your father._

All those bullshit she's getting tired of hearing. She knew why her mother is insane—_mentally ill_. She knew it and she been spending her whole life before she left to convince her to stop doing the dark magic. It will harmed her; it might have not shown the effect immediately but it will eat her alive slowly inside. Her current state of insanity was because of the consequences 800 years of living on magic. She was lucky the magic—all of the balance of nature stuff didn't straight away rip her mother's life out of her body. She tried to compel her but it was no match. She is just a normal vampire. Compelling her to stop isn't just enough—she can go and compel her but the Power will push it back—pushed her out; then her mother will become more violent. Her mother's current state was already saddening and sickening—what about her father.

She walked along the hallway as if she was walking through the history. At the end of the hallway hung a big portrait of what she no longer called a family. She raised her hand, running it with a smile etching on her face. It was from the time Mikaelsons were ruling this city. Her mother's loneliness had demanded for Finn and Kol to be undaggered. Klaus disagreed but soon obeyed to the woman he sought for as mother. But a linking spell was used to bind the two brothers to her as insurance; anything bad they do, she would magically get dragged along. God lord who would predict any mischief a Mikaelson could pull. Their life forces were also bonded and for the first time someone were able to keep the Mikaelsons—well _two _of them in a tight leash.

And the first thing her mother demanded was family portrait. Happily they did. Her mother and father sat proudly on the big thrones surrounded by her maternal children and the Mikaelsons. Elijah stood the closest to her father; symbolizing how men—a husband is the patriarch of the family. Followed by Finn who was had a closest bond with her father as they used to train together, fencing or riding their horses in the country track. Stood right next Finn was his _little _sister, Rebekah. Her chin was up high and Thea swore she never saw Rebekah this happy before. Kol followed next, then Thea, herself. Kol put on his charming smile; his smile glowed with his arms were on both Rebekah and Thea's waists. She lied. Neither Elijah nor Klaus are her favourite. It has always been Kol. There was something about him that attracted her—in a most sibling way. Maybe it was his face that reassembled his brother; her husband or maybe it was the way he treated her. Gentle and lovingly; he was the one she trusted with secrets and his shoulders were hers to cry onto. Her right arm snuck around the waist of her older brother, Cato. They were happy. She could feel her heart sinking down. She remembered that Finn was the noblest one; he even crossed Elijah. He didn't show weaknesses. He reminded her of Mikael himself and her father. And there were Klaus, Rebekah, Kol and Cato; all four of them who sought for the mother's love the most especially for the three younger Mikaelsons who never had before. Elijah didn't mind, he loved them both and most certainly he was in love with their daughter. Her presence enlightened his dark world.

They **are** a happy family.

But then came Mikael. Everything they built was now destroyed. He showed them no mercy. Kol and Finn were daggered back. Their bonds were destroyed right in her mother's face. Klaus lost his power; the mother's love he sought. Kol and Rebekah lost the mother's love; Elijah lost her and Finn lost the love of his life _again_. They were forced to flee and there left the remaining four of the family; heartbroken. Her mother resumed the mentally-ill role, her brother became reckless and her father turned to drinking. She was the worst. Massacre happened because of her and her anger caused her to desiccate her _own_ father. A single tear escaped her eyes and she sniffled. Her thumb stroked away the tear and she turned to the right. She didn't need her mother's help to locate her father; his scent of rotten corpse was so malodourous. She turned the doorknob and entered the room. The scent hit her straight on the face and she coughed.

'_Fuck_.'

The word escaped her lips as she walked cautiously towards the ancient coffin covered with dirt. 'So the prodigal son has return?' She turned around in shocked to see her brother leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. His behaviours were similar as Klaus; officially worried her. 'I thought you want me to come home.' She replied, holding the handle of the half of the coffin. 'You might want to—' He warned but it was too late anyway. She opened the half of the coffin and startled. Her chest tightened. 'Uhh—' She whimpered, running the back of her palm against her nose, 'Shall we undo him back? I don't want to stare at it much longer.' The body looked like freaking wrinkly raisin. His body was so thin she could see the outlines of the bones against his skin. Her brother placed his arm on her shoulder, 'We were actually waiting for your call. We thought that since you desiccated him at the first place, it would be appropriated if you undo him yourself.'

'What?' She asked loudly, 'I bloody desiccated him. What would you expect when I undo the whole thing back to normal? He'll bloody kill me.' The girl protested. The brother moved over to the other side of the coffin and lifted the half-top of the coffin back to its place. 'I'm not ready.' She muttered and bolted out. 'But when will you be ready?' Cato's question was like a stake through her heart. She paused and nervously shifted her weight on one feet to another.

'I will be ready whenever I am.'

She muttered and bolted out for real. 'Honey, honey—' She walked pass her mother and it took her mother to chase her to her Range Rover to get her attention. 'Go back inside mother.' She said sternly unlocking the car. She got inside and turn the ignition on. She rolled the window down as she heard what her mother said. 'I pack your soup.' She told and Thea was stunned again. It sounded weird but her mother managed to make it sound heart breaking. 'I'm sorry mother.' She muttered as she got herself out of the seat, leaping to her mother's arms. 'It's okay. I still love you.' She whispered kissing the cheek of the vampire. Happily she accepted the packed soup and bided her mother a farewell as she drove the Range Rover out of her family home.

She felt weak. She felt different and weak. Maybe Klaus was right all along.

Family makes you weak. Maybe it is true.

Maybe it is time for her to accept it; accept that—'Family makes you _weak_.' She mumbled, speeding her SVU back to the Quarter.

* * *

**i'm sorry if I missed any mistakes, I'm just plainly exhausted.  
****anyway, two big questions or suggestions; please tell me your opinion about it.  
****first is should I be tagging this story for The Originals tag or should I keep it here in vampire Diaries tag?  
****cause I've been changing it back and forth and back and forth, so yeah.  
****secondly is I'm thinking of resurrecting all of the decreased Mikaelsons. How? I mean there's a lot of witches in New Orleans and  
****Thea's mother is a witch on herself. Please tell me about this.**

**And thanks to cuttiepattotie and RememberingYesterday for following, not to mention the on who favourited it. And to April, I guess  
this chapter is the answer to your review.  
Reviews are welcome !**


	4. the rising sun

_house of rising sun_

* * *

_one month later,_

'Marcel wants to meet me.'

Thea folded the corner of her book and settled it on her laps. 'And what does this long-lost family meeting has to do with me?' She asked, propping her hand on the armrest, glancing at her other's nails. She caught on Klaus' strong laughter on the other line and she rolled her eyes. 'I heard you snapped 2 necks of those nightwalkers in front of Marcel to protect Elijah. I thought I might want a piece of that little protection myself.' It was her turn to laugh at his statement, 'Well what was that?' She asked, jumping on her heels towards her wardrobe, 'A hybrid—soh no screw that. An _original_ hybrid is asking for protection from a _humanly _vampire? Despite the fact that he called himself a king?' She could sense her relative grinning widely on the other side. 'I'll be there. Don't start the party without me.'

She was about to end the call but then she remember something, 'Nik, wait.'

'What is it?' He asked, annoyed now, 'No need of shouting. I'm still capable of hearing.' Thea held her phone between her ear and her shoulder as her hands busily rummaged through the clothes of her wardrobe. She paused for a while trying to arrange her words, 'Cat got your tongue my love?' He asked. 'I was wondering. I haven't see Elijah for a month.' She muttered softly; a shudder ran down her spine as she remembered the delicate touch of his brother against her skin. Every inch of her skin her husband had touched with his fingers or his lips leave a warm sensation inside her. It lightened the flame they used to have and she admitted that she couldn't stay mad at him for a long time even if she wanted to. 'Are you catching on what I'm saying?' Klaus' voice snapped her back to reality.

'W—what was that a—again?' She rambled, shifting the phone to another side of her ears. 'You should stop visualising about my brother on top of you my love. That's a habit that dies hard.' He chuckled, 'What I was saying is I _don't_ know. Maybe he decided to bail out of here. Maybe he has business to done. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Meet me at Marcel's place.' Klaus ended the call sending the girl a thought to think about. 'What did this bastard son has done to Elijah?' She muttered, anger trickling in her voice. She pulled on a black-coloured loose blouse over her, rolling the sleeves passed her elbows matching with a light coloured jean. She wasn't affording to lose another pair of heels; lacing up a grey wing-tip Oxfords.

She jabbed on her phone, speed-dialling Elijah for the unknown time as she made her way towards her SVU. The SVU speeded down the road. 'Damn it, Elijah. Answer your fucking phone.' She yelled annoyingly and angry, throwing the phone on the passenger side of the car, speeding the car. Her first stop was the witch, Deveraux. The sign told her that the bar is closed but in rage, she burst in looking around for the witch. The witch was always been twitchy lately; she probably working with Klaus in getting rid of him, and her then Hayley and his own baby possible. Klaus viewed them 3—_4_ as a threat to his plan of taking over his city back and Sophie—she's willing to ally with anyone to get rid of Marcel; they both are a suicidal pair. Sophie jumped in shocked, reaching towards the knife as the vampire's hands got itself around her neck. 'Where's Elijah?' She asked, barring her fangs. 'I don't know!' With that, the brave witch took a stab on her chest and a hiss escaped her lips. 'Really you should try it better.' Thea muttered, ripping the knife out of her chest. 'You almost ruined my favourite shirt,' She muttered with a chaste laughter. Her skin bubbled, stitching and healing itself. 'Now, I'm going to ask you one more time, nicely—' She swung the knife around, before slamming it down on the nearby table, '—because I don't do nice things twice; _so where is Elijah?_' The amount of force she put had split the table in half. 'I don't know!' I swear.' Sophie confessed, backing up to the wall, 'I swear. The smartest thing you should do probably ask Klaus.'

'You both made a suicidal pair; I'm not wasting my time on Klaus, I know he did something to my husband and I know he doesn't like to get his hands dirty.' Thea seemed to calm her down for a moment and sat on the chair of the high top table, 'And surprisingly, I believe you have nothing to do with my husband's disappearance.' Sophie walked around the girl and picked up the knife and settled it on the table. 'Can I have the Bourbon please?' She muttered, propping her head on the table. 'Have anything you want.' The witch said with a soft sigh as she tendered the broken table. The vampire went behind the bar and grabbed the small bottle of the Bourbon and propped herself on the bar, chugging on the bottle. With the bottle between her hands, she stared into the distance sighing softly.

'How long did Elijah went missing?'

Thea chugged down another gulp of the whiskey, licking her lips as she shrugged, '3—4 weeks, almost a month. He was supposed to be back after fetching that mumzy from you. I'm very sure you can't pretty much do anything about it since you are basically useless without your witchy power. I believed he was daggered by his idiotic beast of brother. Now I'm acting hormonal over his disappearance. I'm off to find him.' She pulled out a 100 dollar bill from her pocket and slammed it on the counter, marching out with the half-finished bourbon in her hand, 'Do something with the table and probably your top. You look stupid.' The girl walked out of the bar; glancing around to make sure none of Marcel's imbeciles were following her and got in the car. She retrieved back her phone on the floor of the passenger seat and noticed the 4 missed call from an unknown number. Little did she know, she was hoping for it to be Elijah's number. She placed the keys in the ignition and turned it on, dialling the unknown number as she zoomed out of the place. The phone picked up at the fourth ring and before she could say anything, she was surprised with an unwelcome surprise.

'_Don't ask me where the hell I got your number._'

'Rebekah.' She muttered flat-tone.

'_Meet me at my home would yo_u? _There's a lot of thing to catch up between both of us.'_

* * *

_Mikaelson's Mansion,_

Rebekah watched as the black Range Rover drove into the courtyard of Mikaelson's Mansion right behind of her red convertible. 'Elijah, if not answering your phone is part of your clever plan to get me back to this godforsaken city, then well done. I'm here, and I'm worried. Now pick up before I kick in your bloody door.' Thea got out of the car, holding onto the phone and the quarter full bottle of bourbon. 'If you're trying to leave a message to Elijah, save it; I've been trying it for almost a month.' She muttered, ready to chug the bottle dry. But Rebekah snatched the bottle away from her hand and dried the bottle to the last drop before throwing it down. The bottle shattered into million pieces. 'Glad to have you here. I don't fancy doing things alone. You know the drill.' The Original pulled the other girl into her arms, hugging her tightly, 'I missed you. Where've you been?'

'I've should ask you that. You guys were the one who left me. But your curiosity—of course, doesn't kill a cat for sure, which worried me. I've been travelling and I missed you too.' Thea drew back, smirking. Rebekah looked satisfied with her answer and walked up the front steps, hand-in-hand with Thea and opened the door. The house was eerily quiet. Thea dropped her keys and phone on the table nearby and spotted Hayley coming down the stairs, wielding a fire iron. 'Who the hell are you?' Hayley asked, looking at the blonde girl beside Thea. 'Oh, you must be the maid. My bags are in the car – get them, will you?' Thea looked at her unbelievably and chuckled, making herself at home as she stalked into the living room on her left side. Hayley smiled wryly and threw the iron poker aside. 'Hello. Not the maid.'

Rebekah was taken aback, 'Right. You're that werewolf girl my brother, Klaus, knocked up. I was expecting to see some kind of supernatural, miracle baby bump. Guess you're not showing yet. It's Hayley, isn't it?' Hayley nodded and settled her last feet on the ground. 'You have your brother's manners—' She said pointing the blonde vampire and then to Thea when she decided to join them, '—and surprisingly you too.'

'And his temper, too, so watch it. Where's Elijah?' Rebekah snapped angrily at her. 'Beats me. He's long gone.' Rebekah glanced at the werewolf sharply, her eyes all narrowed like a predator watching its prey, 'What do you mean _long gone?'_ She asked. 'Well, one minute he was here making epic promises about protecting me in this predicament that a bottle of scotch and some bad decisions got me into – he was all poetic about how we're family – and then Klaus told me he bailed. Guess that's what I get for trusting a vampire.' Hayley said foolishly leading Thea to raise her hand and smacked the girl at the back of her head, 'You little idiot, Elijah is not just any vampire, and he doesn't break promises. The second you know that 'Elijah' bailed, you should come and see me.' She snatched her phone, angrily dialling as she ran upstairs.

'Which also means Niklaus has done something dastardly and Klaus-like.' Rebekah moved to another room, yelling for her half-brother, 'Klaus! Get out here and tell me what you've done with our brother, you narcissistic, back-stabbing wanker!' Klaus emerged from a pair of doosr, cynical smile etched on this face, 'Enough with all the shouting. Little sister, I should have known. I assume the six dead vampires were your doing? I suppose you even steal Thea from me tonight.' Rebekah smiled, crossing her arms, 'They were very rude.' She put up an innocent face as she remembered impaling vampires violently with a pool stick in a bar, 'Trying to victimize a poor, innocent girl just trying to find her way to the Quarter. So sorry, were they friends of yours? Oh, that's right, you don't have any friends.'

While the two lost siblings argued downstairs, Thea was busy running along the hallway chasing the sound of Elijah's phone ringing; hoping that probably the phone would lead her to the body of her husband. The sound of the ringing got louder and louder as Thea came to a room, she opened the pair of doors and walked inside. It is a small working place. She knew the room. She knew it because of the photo on the table; it was a portrait of hers. This was Elijah's room. The other door will leaded to the another study room, lot bigger of course. There was a box opened on the table and she spotted the Elijah's phone lying on the ground. She knelt and grabbed it, unlocking to view a lot of missed call and messages waiting to be answered by both her and Rebekah. She looked up and spotted a shiny red splodge on the table beam. Judging on its stickiness and the rumbling in her stomach, she concluded that it is blood and knowing the scent too well, she knew that it's Elijah's blood. Shoving both phones in the box, she took it down stairs, slamming it on the table as she joined the two siblings, 'I can't bloody believed that you daggered your brother after what he went through for you, you mendacious bastard'

Klaus smirked wider, holding his hands wide, welcoming her, 'Here to join the fun too. I was just telling my dear sister here that I do have friend who fancies himself the 'King of the Quarter' now and he has these rules about killing vampires. It'll be fun to see what sort of punishment he comes up with for you.' Rebekah paced for a while and shook her head, her blonde hair bobbing back and forth, 'I don't care about Marcel or his rules. Elijah doesn't welch on deals. What did you do to him?' She asked keenly, despise lacing in her voice. 'Perhaps he's on holiday—or taking a long autumn nap upstairs. Well, go on. Take a look around. You remember this house as well as I.' Klaus looked at Thea afterword, smirking, 'You too. I see you found the study room.' She knew what he meant with and for a second, she never had despised someone this strong. Her pair of Oxfords squeaked against the floor as she followed Rebekah.

'I remember everything. I remember how the drunken fool of a governor hid away all of our vampire sins in exchange for gold. I remember the lavish parties the governor threw, as if to impress you.'

She remembered walking through a doorway into a room filled with people dressed in their finery for some sort of party. They nodded at her as she passed by. She watched with pleased at the surrounding, smiling at her brother, Elijah who she saw dancing foolishly yet happily with Thea to please her little desire to dance. With a wink, she watched as her elder brother pulled the girl out from the crowd, his lips never left hers. Rebekah also watched Klaus as he left the room with two ladies in his hands. She then turned her attention to a young man, whom she remembered kissing him chastely.

'I don't quite remember when you were that gleeful before.' Thea mouthed and she smiled. Rebekah leaned against the wall nearby while Thea leaned on the opposite wall of her with one leg up against the wall, 'I remember finding a moment of affection with the governor's son, Emil.' Rebekah looked at her and smirked, 'And I remember that even Elijah was happy.' Thea smiled, looking down to the floor with a pair of red cheeks.

* * *

_New Orleans, 1820_

Rebekah decided to take Emil upstairs excusing both of them from the other party guests. Upstairs, Elijah had Thea pinned against the wall, his hands were tight around her waist and she was giggling. He kissed her, trailing the kiss along her jaw and her cheek, ticking her while further down the hall Klaus finished off the ladies he had left with earlier. Thea paused and sighed, pressing her palm against his chest to stop him as his lips found its way back to her mouth, 'Klaus' gone too far, **again**. Niklaus, you should stop.' She muttered, sighing softly and he stopped. With one hand against the wall to stop the girl from running, Elijah looked up and sighed.

'Niklaus, there is no hope for you, is there?'

Niklaus ignored them, sinking his fangs deeper into one of the girls' wrist. Thea kissed him by his jaw, attracting his attention back towards her from the gruesome view of the dead girls. 'Where were we?' The husband asked with a grin and the girl pulled him down, kissing her lips. His hand moved down from her neck, dragging the left strap of her dress down exposing her milky skin. 'Mmhh, you're going to share that tasty dessert with me brother?' Klaus interrupted both of them. Thea glanced at him and threw the closest thing to her hand; a candelabrum. 'I don't think you can handle me as good as your brother does.' The pair of love birds stared deeply into each other's eyes and chastely he pressed a kiss on her forehead.

'Are we interrupting?' Rebekah asked with Emil in tow.

'Yes.' Klaus said, dropping the wrist of the other girl with annoyance. Thea looked at the greedy hybrid across the room, 'No.' She muttered, glancing at younger girl who was holding the hand of her lover tightly. 'Dearest Elijah, Thea.' She glanced at the pair, eyes glimmered with hope, 'You've only ever wished happiness for me. Emil and I are in love. Please, let me turn him.' Elijah glanced at his wife and she shrugged, 'It's your call. I don't really mind.' Rebekah looked at her hopefully, 'She deserved to be happy.' Their little discussion was interrupted when one of the maids had called for Thea's presence downstairs. The maid ran upstairs, panting and sweating, 'Madam Mikaelson—the—the governor's wife demands for your presence d-downstairs.'

'Guess your painting made were a hit indeed.' Klaus chuckled and Thea rolled her eyes, 'Talk' She insisted, 'Just **talk**.' She glanced at the three Mikaelsons and excused herself, following the maid downstairs. 'You heard what she said. She is way wiser than you—' She glanced at Klaus before looking back at her brother, '—two. Please, brother. For me.' Elijah smiled at his sister's boldness, 'Nevertheless, Rebekah, the governor has graciously agreed to hide a lot of our—indiscretions' he muttered glancing at the corner of his eyes were the dead bodies are, 'It would not do to turn his son into one of us.' Klaus wiped dry the blood at the corner of his lips and joined them, 'It's not going to happen, Sister. If we turned every man you dropped your knickers for, then human beings would cease to exist and we'd have no bloody food.' He insisted strongly, arms behind his back, with a sarcastic smile plastered on his face. On the other hand, Emil looked offended. Hand pointed to Klaus' face, he yelled angrily, 'How dare you, sir! You would do well to treat –' But of course, it angered Klaus more as he grabbed Emil by the neck and forcibly walked him down the hallway.

'Niklaus!' Rebekah called him, begging for her lover's life to be sparred.

'Niklaus! Niklaus, wait!' Elijah tried to grab him by the shoulder but—Klaus was being the plain old Klaus. Klaus ignored them and threw Emil off the balcony, whence he fell several storeys to his death. They heard footsteps and they watched as Thea walked in the space rushing towards the dead body of Emil, 'Nik!' She yelled, kneeling down as she gently lifted his head on her laps., 'What have you done?' She asked angrily. His blood stained her white dress as she tended the body. He was struggling to breath and she knew he was going to suffer. She looked up and Elijah was holding down the hysterical Rebekah. The older nodded and painfully, Thea snapped his head for good, ending his misery. She closed the opened eyes of the now—dead Emil and take care of the body gently. She called a maid and the girl looked at the body shockingly, glancing upstairs. She knew whose handicraft was those belonged to. 'Nobody shall know what truly happened. Get Paul to handle him. I'll take care of the governors.' She commanded as another man—Paul walked in. The body exchanged hand and Thea knelt there in the pool of blood; Elijah held the sobbing Rebekah while Klaus walked off like nothing ever happen.

* * *

_present_,

'Well, he wasn't good enough for you.'

Klaus interrupted them, sitting on the nearby chair. Rebekah looked at him in disgust, 'No one was ever good enough for me, Nik; you made sure of that. Now where is Elijah?' Both of the girls waited patiently for the younger vampire to answer the question but Klaus' phone started buzzing. He checked it, stood and moved to leave leaving the girls with unsolved question. 'Where the hell are you going? Where the hell is Elijah?' Thea asked grabbing Klaus by his shoulder. He grabbed the girl's wrist and twisted it, 'It appears the night is not quite over, yet. I'm off for another drink with Marcel.' She groaned in pain and he let her go. She tended her broken wrist, waiting for it to slowly heal.

'Elijah told me about your plan to take apart Marcel's empire piece by piece. I don't remember it involving you two drinking New Orleans dry together.' Rebekah asked arms crossed. 'I know you don't have many friends, Rebekah, but what some friends do when they get together is they drink. And when they drink, they tell secrets. Marcel has somehow found a way to control the entirety of witches in the Quarter, and I aim to uncover the 'how' so I might take it for myself. Finding Elijah didn't make my to-do list today.' Rebekah sneered at him as he sarcastically welcomed her arrival. 'You forgot that I have Thea, you idiot!' The door shut leaving the house to an angry Original, an offended vampire and a clueless pregnant werewolf. Rebekah spotted the werewolf sitting on the landing. 'You, wolf girl. I'm going to search this house inch by inch until I find what my evil brother has done to my good one. You're helping.' Rebekah turned to the door before turning back, 'You too.' She mouthed pointing at Thea.

Half an hour later, after waiting for Thea to overturn the house down for flash lights, Rebekah had leaded them down a spiral staircase down to the basement. 'Are you taking use to the governor's favourite room, Bekah?' Thea asked followed them the last. Rebekah smiled, '2 points for my best friend. And thank you for tending Emil for me.' The girl shrugged, 'What more can I do? He doesn't deserve to die like that.' They arrived in a dusty, cobwebbed cellar room. Hayley spied the coffins and looked at Thea for explanations. 'Klaus keeps his siblings daggered in that.' Thea muttered pointing the flash light at the coffins.

'You think Klaus killed him?' Hayley drew a conclusion.

'We can't be killed, silly girl. Exception for Thea. But that doesn't stop Klaus from finding ways to torture us. He has a set of mystical silver daggers. One in the heart sends us into a deep slumber. Klaus gets his jollies from keeping us in a box, until he decides to pull the dagger out. That must be what he's done to Elijah. This one's mine.' Rebekah explained pointing to the coffin in front of her. Hayley looked incredulously surprised, 'He keeps your coffin on standby.' Rebekah and Thea on the other hand didn't look disturbed at all, 'He likes to be prepared for when his family members inevitably disappoint him. Elijah's isn't here – he must've stashed him elsewhere.' The werewolf held her stomach, 'I feel sick.'

'Welcome to the family, love.' Thea muttered flatly moving back to the stairs.

'You should've run the second you realized Elijah was gone.'

Rebekah told her, watching as the other vampire went upstairs to continue her search. 'Yeah, well, the witches have put some sort of hex on me. As long as I'm carrying this baby, I can't leave New Orleans. If I do, they kill me.' Hayley explained and Rebekah looked at her kindly. 'But well, knowing Klaus, he's planning a box for you the second you give birth to whatever's cooking in your tum.' Thea responded from upstairs followed by the sound of glass dropping. 'I'm leaving as soon as I find Elijah. Being daggered in a box for decades sucks, trust me. You'd best find a way to break that hex and run. Will come with me sister?' Rebekah asked at the girl upstairs and the girl responded yes with a delightful and relief tone. Rebekah left her, continuing her search deeper leaving the werewolf alone to take what she said in.

Of course the search ended up to a dead end and the three frustrated ladies decided to excuse themselves. Rebekah already disappeared into her room, slamming her door along the way. Thea grabbed the box she left and walked up stairs, 'Please lock the door, Hayley, if you don't mind.' She muttered softly, marching towards the right corridor where Elijah and Thea conquered most of the rooms. There were only 3 rooms where they occupied it with their bedroom, their mini studies and their nursery. She found herself quite sad knowing that the nursery was going to occupy the baby of Klaus and Hayley, instead of hers and Elijah like how they planned before. She opened the last door on the corridor and walked in. Only god knows how she missed this room. She had noticed the little renovation Klaus or Elijah did to the room; adding the air conditioning, moving the bed in front of the window, adding some books on the shelves. It was like the room was ready to be occupied again. It was like Elijah was prepared for her _return_. She noticed their portrait was hung at the corner above the small table. There was a black book on the table and if she have to take a guess; it is Elijah's journal. She dropped the book on the seat in front of the bed and took the leather book in her hand. It was indeed his current journal judging on the manufacturing date of the book and the new handwriting he had adapted into.

She skipped the pages where it was the same thing he wrote all over again; looking for his brother's redemption. But the last update attracted her the most. She ran her hand on the handwriting; a smile crept on her face. There were just 12 words.

_September 2011,_

_I've met her again. And she told me she love me_.

Well, she didn't really speak it out of her mouth that she loves him, but judging Elijah, she didn't need words to describe how much she loved him, he knew it anyways. She closed the journal and put it back where she found it and moved to the toilet. She stripped down and took a brief cold shower and readied herself for bed. She looked around the room looking for towel and broke down laughing when she realised she was looking at the wrong place.

This is Elijah and knowing him too well to know that Elijah will never hang his towel where it supposed to be, he'll drop it on the sink. It was a habit her husband that dated back to where their first met. After wrapping herself in his towel, she gathered her clothes and folded it, settling it on the window ledge. Of course, she didn't have anything to wear. Most of the clothes were so outdated and some of them deserved to be in the trash. Nevertheless, some of them brought a lot of memories to her, she decided not to throw it away for a while; it's not like she's even staying here. She didn't seem in mood to barge into Hayley or Rebekah's rooms for clothes. Well mostly because she had found Elijah's suitcase lying on the floor of the cupboard. Tightening the knot of her towel around her body, she knelt down and opened the suitcase.

There were some wrinkled dress-shirt and pants—mostly are his suits. But she found a couple of his boxers (red blushes crept on her cheeks when she found it, her head couldn't help to think of where it had been before), pyjamas pants and cotton t-shirts probably what he wear to sleep. The pyjama was deliriously too big for her—she tried and two steps later, the pants fell down pooling at her legs. His cotton shirt was even big enough to cover her thighs so she settled in it, wearing her panties but braless. Then, Thea busy entertaining herself in Elijah's study room, reading some of the journals Elijah left behind. She gathered the journals away, there were 12 in there and she knew there was more. Then she realized that he was unpacking his stuffs. She thought that she'll help, gathered the stuff and moved to the shelf and started arranging it. She arranged the journal chronologically continuing where he had left. She settled the violin and its bow on the stand, her fingers played on the strings. She noticed a pile of thin books with a wooden box on top of it on the bottom shelf. She knelt down and pulled it out, flipping through the pages.

That was when she realised the book was a sketchbook, but it wasn't Elijah's; it belonged to her. All pile of them. Some of them dated back to the 1820s and it seemed like Elijah had added up some new sketchbook for her future use. The wooden box was filled with pencils and little knives she used to sharpen her tools. There were small pieces of broken oil pastels in it, brushes; most of them are her drawing utensils. For 300 years, she had forgotten what she enjoyed doing the most; being an artist. She missed the time where she and Klaus opened an art gallery to show what they were gifted at. She wasn't the one with the gifted fingers of an artist; Klaus was too. Every artist has their own story. Hers was different. She remember holding an art auction along with the party governor had threw to impressed Klaus on the day Emil died. She sold most of her pieces and Elijah was so proud of her.

Now, she didn't know if she can pull the same magic again. She wasn't sure that her hands were capable of creating another masterpiece again. She opened the new page of a new sketchbook and her fingers picked up a random utensil from the box; a black oil pastel. Her back was against the wall and her legs propped up using it as an easel for her sketch book. She stared at the blank paper as her mind worked out something for her to draw. As her hand made a swift stroke of the pastel, she knew there was no turning back.

* * *

_the next morning_,

Thea snapped from her slumber, waking up clutching to the soft pillow on her bed. Her body was wrapped with the comforter. She was surprised, the last memory she had was sitting in the studies, working on a drawing. 'You fell asleep in the studies. I reckoned that you'll still be her because Rebekah persuaded you.' She sat up, adjusting to the bright light shining inside her room. She noticed Klaus sitting on the chair at the corner of her room with his legs crossed and his hands holding onto Elijah's journal. 'You shouldn't be touching his stuff.' She mumbled, 'How did I get here 'nyway?'

'I carried you. Poor little Thea sleeping all cold on the floor hugging a drawing of her missing husband.' She watched as Klaus opened her sketchpad from last night and it was indeed a sketch of Elijah. 'I did that?' She whispered softly, her voice was shaky, 'Wow, I didn't remember.' She pushed her hair back. 'Probably because you were beyond exhausted with hunger and exhaustion from lack of sleep.' Klaus closed the sketchbook and walked towards her, sitting on the bed facing her. 'I'm going to ask you a simple favour since you're living in my house now.'

'_Temporarily_.' She insisted.

'I don't care.' He snapped, 'I need you to take care of Hayley. Don't let her out of your sight. Don't let her out at all. Understood?' The vampire nodded and the hybrid excused himself, stood up and pressed his lips on top of her head, 'Food's downstairs.' He walked toward the door and opened it, 'And oh love, welcome home.' The door closed and the hybrid left Thea all alone in the bed all confused and sleepy.

* * *

**This is just a filler chapter for the House of Rising Son eps. I'm in love with The Animal's cover of the song. Thanks to evans516 for reviewing and following, you were like the reason why the story existed at first, I got inspired by yours (Team Kol are we mates?) and thank you for your view on my questions. Thanks to Ileana for reviewing. Thanks to Aegeann for following. I totally feel the eagerness to revive the Mikaelsons, like seriously, they should be like immortal ****_immortal_****. They are too awesome to die anyway.  
Reviews are welcomed **


	5. whatever it takes

_whatever it takes _ (unedited, sorry)

* * *

Thea walked down the stairs after staying on the bed for an hour after Klaus' visit and 15-minutes of shower. She switched the shirt for another grey shirt of Elijah's since her blouse was a bit torn and dabbed with her blood from the little confrontation with Sophie and slipped on her jeans. 'You're little late.' Her head snapped to Hayley who was peeping from the living room. She looked at the werewolf confused, 'Klaus left and so does Rebekah.' Hayley explained and she nodded, rubbing her neck awkwardly. 'It's okay. I wasn't planning to follow them around all day.' Her barefoot made its way quietly to the kitchen. 'Rebekah took my breakfast.' She sulked. Hayley followed her and turned around immediately holding on her mouth. 'I'm sorry if that was eerie.' Thea muttered staring at the dead human tied up to a chair. His neck was snapped in two, one of his arms was in the dustbin and his stomach was cut open.

'I guess Rebekah is on her period.' Hayley muttered, displeased.

'I don't actually care much.' She said with a shrug as she vamp-speeded for a glass and held it under the dripping blood coming from the cut-off arm. 'It's not like I really drink that much.' She stopped when the glass was half-full and walked toward the microwave to heat the blood. 'I like my blood a bit warm. It give it's a fresh humanly taste.' Hayley looked at her unpleasantly. Thea smiled, 'Blood make you squeamish?' She teased.

'No.' She walked toward a chair and sat, 'I didn't really expect—you are hard to read. One second you're all nice, noble, caring, _human_—' Hayley noticed that the vampire winced at last word, '—another moment later you were vicious , murderous, psychopathic—' Thea laughed and opened the door and pulled out her glass. With pleasure, she chugged down the whole glass and settled it in the sink, 'Love, I'm not just a psychopathic, I'm a high-class sociopath.' She took a seat in front of the girl, 'I'm just kidding.' Hayley watched as the girl handled the knife carefully, cutting the oranges in half. 'In a professional diagnosis, I would be considered as a bipolar.' The girl bent around, opening a drawer after a drawer until she found what she was looking for; a squeezer. 'But I can assure you that I'm not.' She started squeezing the fruit and Hayley volunteered to grab two glasses. 'So what have you planned to do today, please make it fun since I've to keep my eye sight on you, just you, nothing but you.'She asked, dropping the earlier topic.

'Would you drive me to the Quarter?'

Thea paused from pouring the juice, 'Where specifically?'

'Jardin Gris.' Hayley told, nervously.

Judging from her body language, Thea caught what she meant immediately. 'Oh,' The vampire replied, flat tone, 'So you've made your mind?' Hayley took an immediate sip and settled her glass down, 'You doesn't seem happy with my decision.' Thea smiled flatly, taking an immediately interest on the girl. 'You're one lucky girl. You know that? Other woman would kill to be blessed with a baby. And here you are, ready to get rid of a blessing. You're a nice looking girl but the problem with you is you're an idiot.' Thea marched out the kitchen and headed straight to the stairs.

'Excuse me?' Hayley said, offended.

'Get ready. We'll get few things at Jardin Gris and I'll take you to witch that will help.'

'What witch?'

Thea stopped at the landing and turned back, 'My mother.'

* * *

_rue dauphine, the quarter,_

'We're going to need jimson weed and wolfs bane. My mother has the freshly grown jimson weed so all we need is wolfs bane. Now, be are a lot of type of wolfs bane and its condition; crushed, liquefied or freshly picked. It has to be a crushed aconite flower. At least 2 phials. Wrong one could bring harm to you and the abortion would be a failure.' Hayley listened to the vampire's explanation with surprise. Thea glanced at her and smirked, 'Why? Surprised?' Hayley nodded, a smile never wiped off her face, 'You knew so much about this but you are a vampire.'

'Well, love, you need to dig in my history a little bit more. I used to be a witch long before I was bitten.' Thea explained, slowly stopping her car right in front of the Jardin Gris, 'I will tell you but first get the herbs. Go, she's closing the store.' Hayley scrambled out of the car towards the woman who was closing the shop. 'Hey, Hey.' Hayley called for her and the shop keeper turned around, 'We're closed, sorry.' But Hayley insisted on getting what she want, 'I just need one teeny, tiny little herb. Please?' Thea watched how the werewolf easily convinced the witch for the herbs as the shopkeeper agreed to help her. She glanced at the two phones—one included Elijah's phone she decided to take possession of and one belonged to her inside the compartment under the radio. She fetched her phone and hit the speed-dial of her home.

The call picked up at the third rings and her mother's voice greeted her, '_Little girl_,' Her mother called and she smiled, 'Hello, mother. Hey, I'm coming by if you don't mind.' She could sense a smile creeping on her mother's face and she couldn't help to join her too. '_Of course I wouldn't mind. Would your dearest Elijah be joining us?_' A pang of grief hit her at the sound of the name being spoken and she sighed, 'No. He has some—' She hesitated and decided to not lie; but told otherwise, '—he has this business to run. I'll bring him home when he's back. No worries. But I'll have company.' She watched as Hayley ran toward the other side of the car and opened the door, 'Mother I have to go. I'll see you in a minute. Be safe.' She ended the call immediately and hit the pedal immediately, droving them out of the place before any suspicious could rise.

'Did you get the right one?' Thea asked and Hayley held up two phials of the crushed aconite flower she had asked for, 'Brilliant.' She concentrated on her driving. Hayley leaned back, her fingers holding tightly on the phials as she waited for the vampire to open her mouth. Thea sighed and rolled her eyes, 'Fine, fine. I was a witch in this small village about miles away from Virginia before I was bitten. I lived with my family; my father, Tobias the human, the protector of the village, he was sort of the smartest guy in the village too. Then, my mother, Cora, you can dub her as the third powerful witch after Esther and Qestiyah and my older brother, Cato, a witch too.' Hayley nodded, listening to her story, 'Tobias, Althaea, Cora, Cato—I'm sensing Greekish bloodlines.' Thea chuckled and nodded, 'A bit, maybe. I'm fluent with Greek and a couple more language but that should be least of your concern.'

'So, Elijah went for a hunt and accidentally left you alive?'

'Close but I actually ran into him munching on our town's asshole's chubby neck. You know, teens—' She rolled her eyes along way, '—stupid and arrogant. Plus, I was fascinated about the story my mother told me. About this creature of night that crept around at night for blood. So, foolish me, I stayed and second later, he was on top of me, ripping my sleeves and started munching on my shoulder.' Her body shivered at the feeling—the place where she was bitten tingled thought the scar had healed through time. 'Then came this sudden feeling—' Thea was ready to explain with one to sway around when Hayley cut in, 'Soul mate principle?' Thea glanced at the werewolf, irritatingly but Hayley shrugged it away, 'I've heard of it.' She defended herself and the vampire sighed. 'Little wolf,' Thea muttered with annoyance, 'Please allow me to finish my sentence first next time. But yes, it was like I was sucked into his mind and I saw his—_pain_. I felt it myself and my heart fell of my butt.' She tried to cheer up the situation and the werewolf did smile while her voice started to sound like a strangled cat—she was overwhelmed with gloom and she sighed, 'Maybe that was why I forgave him. Not really because I was actually in love with him, but because I felt his pain. That was the point of the soul mate principle. You were meant to share everything; pain, happiness, smiles and tears, everything. It doesn't matter where you go, where you were separated, no matter how long, it will still feel like home. He is my home.' Thea raised her thumb to her eyes, wiping the tears pooling on her lids ready to spill over. She wished the werewolf didn't have to witness her.

'Anyway, long after that, our whole villagers including my idiotic father and brother decided to bring my so-called killer to justice—but they got slayed but I was surprised Nik saved those two idiots' lives.' Thea continued her story like nothing ever happened as her car finally slowed down in front of a gate. The pair of gates magically swung open and she drove in. Hayley was surprised yet impressed. 'But I'm grateful he did. They are my family. Family above all. You've heard of that?' She asked, watching as Hayley nodded her head, 'But of course, witches are the balance of the nature and we vampires are bunch of nature abominations so we lost our power. Hybrids are beyond doubt just a vampire plus werewolf crossover; nothing more nothing less.' The car has finally stopped and so those Thea's story. 'That's all for today, I guess. I was hoping to listen about your family too. A little fair exchange; my story for yours. We'll keep each other secrets.' The vampire winked but the werewolf looked uncomfortable, 'Well, actually—' Hayley struggled to find her word while the vampire stared at her sharply, 'I don't know what my family's story is. That why I'm here at the first place. To find out about them.'

Thea breathed slowly; her chest rose upward and downward. She felt sorry for the kid carrying her niece. She placed her hand on Hayley's, grabbing it for a little squeeze. 'If you don't find anything about them, I'm just reminding you; I am your family. All of us are.' She smiled sincerely, squeezing her hand gently. Hayley smiled and nodded, 'Thanks for the vote of confidence.' Thea rolled her eyes and got out of her side, 'It is my part time job you know.' The girl winked playfully and they laughed. They walked toward the front door. Before Thea could knock on the door, it flung open and her mother has leaped into the vampire's arms. 'Mother.' The girl mumbled followed by her infamous soft melodious chuckles. 'I've missed you certainly,' The witch drew back and turned to the werewolf behind her daughter, 'You must be the company. It's a shame Elijah's not here. The more the merrier you know.' She held up her hand and Hayley took it with please, 'He's a bit busy with work but I surely do hope he is here. I'm Hayley. You must be Cora Walsh.'

'So you girls have been talking about me. Come in.'

'Just a little storytelling, Mrs Walsh.' Hayley muttered as she entered the house with a wow lingering on her lips every second. 'Just Cora my dear. So to what I own the visit today?' The woman returned back to the kitchen where she was busy cooking. 'I need to get rid of something and your daughter here recommended you.' Hayley said, placing the two phials on the island table. The mother's face fell and she stuttered, 'Are you killing a werewolf?' She asked taking the one of the phials. 'Just a little one.' Hayley whispered, running her hand on the growing womb. 'Niklaus?' She asked and Thea nodded, joining them. She sat on the high top chair, holding onto a wooden ladle she got from somewhere in the mess. 'Nik always find himself trouble which I always have to be there cleaning it.' She said, swirling the ladle at Hayley's womb. Her mother grew quiet and she seemed uncomfortable, 'Are you sure you want this?' She asked for the werewolf again, confirming her decision. The girl nodded, strongly. 'Would you fetch me some jimson weed and parsley my dear?' Thea got off her chair and walked out of the kitchen door; trading the ladle for a gardening shear.

'Are your mother alright?' Thea didn't surprise that Hayley followed her, her mother was acting all weirdly, 'One second she was happy, then she all fucked up and—' Thea turned and held the shear right at the girl's neck. 'Watch who you're talking about.' She warned, 'Only I can call her crazy or fucked or whatever it is but no one else can.' Hayley nodded and muttered her apology immediately. Thea replied with a simple shrug. 'What are we going to do with jimson and parsley?' She asked when the silence was uncomfortable for her. Thea knelt by a bed of growing green plant. With her hand, she gently touched it and brought it to her nose to smell. Satisfied with the plant she found, she smiled and cut the plant right by its roots. 'This is jimson weed. She'll cut it and brew it with the crushed aconite flowers. It will be easier for you to drink. Or do you prefer to take it in raw like a true werewolf?' Thea asked with a smile as she stood, handling a couple more of the weed to Hayley. She laughed, 'Thanks, but I'll pass that. What will the parsley do?'

Thea walked deeper into the garden, trying to use her heighten smelling to find the parsley. 'There they are.' She muttered happily below her breathe, jumping over two beds towards where the flat-leaved parsley were growing. Hayley didn't follow her, but she stood by watching the girl happily tended the herbs. 'You know what I love about parsley?' She asked Hayley, twirling the leaf with her skinny fingers; the werewolf shook her head. 'The earthly smell. Fresh, greenish; it's like a fresh cut grass.' Thea pulled the parsley down to its small roots and gathered a handful of them. 'You seemed to be hesitating.' Hayley asked. Thea speeded to where the werewolf was standing and leaded her out of the garden. 'There're a lot of parsley just know. I didn't quite recognize the smell. It's been a while you know. Plus my mother grew it near the parsnip. They are practically the same.' Hayley nodded, absorbing the new information she got. 'So what will do with the parsley? I know it's bad for pregnancy but what will we do with it? You took a handful of it.'

'Well, aconite and jimson will help you to put the baby out. Then we will do the normal herbal abortion back days. You'll put a couple of fresh sprig in your vagina.' Thea said, pulling on her flat face. They stayed silence for 2 seconds before burst out laughing. 'Okay I'm serious. It will act as a pessary, you'll put it by your cervix and I'll dry some of it up for you to drink or you can just chopped it freshly and drink it up. Whatever floats your boat.' They reached back to the kitchen, 'Then I'll start bleeding.' Thea nodded and they entered the kitchen. The strong smell of aconite brewing stunk and her mother asked for the jimson to be cut small. 'Where're your brother and father?' Hayley questioned, remembering the brother and father after noticing a picture of her brother by the fridge. Thea who continued cutting the parsley to be dried up, paused. 'Uhh, I didn't tell you about that did I?' Thea shrugged, continue cutting the leaves. 'Cato's out I guess. Father's desiccated upstairs.' Hayley chocked on the water she was drinking. 'What?' She asked. 'I desiccated him okay? It was _Angry Thea_ decade, I couldn't help myself.'

'I'm starting to think you desiccated Elijah.'

The vampire laughed, 'I might be in love with him but I'm not that crazy to desiccate him.'

'It's done.' The two girls turned their attention to Cora as she poured the brew back into the phials. 'Just added a couple of drop inside of your tea or coffee and one—'

'One stomach ache and all of this madness will end.' Hayley nodded, taking the phials in her hands. 'I'll dry it up for you.' Cora muttered grabbing the freshly cut parsley with her shaky hands out to be naturally dried out. 'Let me sent you home.' Thea offered, but Hayley shrugged her off. 'If you don't mind I'll walk. I need times to think.' Understandingly, Thea nodded and accompanied her to the doors. 'Are you sure?' Thea asked again and Hayley nodded, 'Don't worry. I'm a werewolf with a hybrid. I'm practically invulnerable to any threats. You have some unsolved things to be done. Finish it. It will make you calmer.' Thea rolled her eyes and to her surprise, the younger girl embraced her into a warm hug. 'Thank you.' She muttered and drew back immediately as she made her way out to the gate. Thea stood there completely surprised.

_Don't you see how nice she is_, a thought inside of her told, _don't you think she wouldn't break your trust by trying to act all nice with Elijah. They are family_.

_Don't believe her, you're smarter than this_, came another thought; the devil inside her, _you're giving her a chance; she will back stab you before you know it_.

She bit the side of her mouth to regain herself back. 'Oh both of you shut up.' Thea grumbled, making her way inside.

* * *

Cato stopped his convertible right behind the black SVU, noting the present of her sister. He took his shades off and got off his side and headed straight towards the front door. 'Mother.' he said, heading straight towards the kitchen where she always is. But she was not where she is. The smell of the freshly brewed aconite flowers worsening his thought as he leaped up the stairs. 'Mother!' He barged into the last door of the hall; his imagination was even worst that he thought.

'My son.'

He was taken aback. His father, his father who has been desiccated for almost 300 years are finally standing toe-to-toe with him; looking charming and old in his 1820s clothing yet alive. He scanned the room where Thea was leaning against the window ledge, arms crossed and a freshly healing wound at her neck and her mother sitting by the chair looking deliriously happy. 'Father.' The word came out strange. The father—Tobias smiled widely pulling his son back in his arms, patting on his back. 'Good Lord, how I've missed you, all of you.' Cato was stoned. 'I—I was surprised.'

'Surprised that I'm back?' Tobias then pulled his only daughter in his arms, who was clearly unpleasant by his behaviour, 'Don't worry, I have no hard feelings. We are family aren't we?' The sarcastic tone of his voice brought Thea to the edge, 'You better get that wound healed my dear. Thanks for the blood anyway.' Thea rolled her eyes and made her way towards the door, 'I have to go.' She muttered, marching out of the door. Cato hesitated whether to stay where his mother and father were happily embraced in each other arms, looking happier and still in love even after 300 years or to chase after his upset sister. 'I'll be back.' He muttered flatly and rushed out where his father already started to shove his tongue down his mother's throat.

'Tell me I'm wrong, Cato.' His sister asked, rushing out of the door, 'Tell me that this is a mistake so at least you can feel better of yourself.' Cato grabbed her by her shoulder; her body slammed against his chest where she finally wept against it. 'You told me you'll do it when you're ready. You are not ready.' He muttered, caressing the back of her head. 'I am. I am ready to awaken him but I'm not ready for what will happen afterward.' She sniffled against his shirt; her eyeliners smudged down her cheeks and his shirt. She drew back, fidgeting on her feet. She wiped her cheeks roughly with the back of her hands, black colour of the running eyeliners smeared across her hand. 'I mean, of course it didn't bother me that he had taken some of my blood; what mine is his. I came from his blood. But the way he treating me is—odd. He didn't grab me by my throat or threatened to kill me or even tried to kill me. He was calm and weirdly calm.' She was vexing, 'He _scared_ me!'

'You're just overthinking. He forgave you. You heard what he said, let bygones be bygones then.'

She yanked her car door opened and got in, stopping to yell at him, 'That is Tobias Walsh you're talking about! He doesn't let bygones be bygones.' She got in and slammed the door speeding her way out.

'_And you're just being paranoid like you use too_!' He yelled but the car had gone too far for her to hear him

* * *

_beinville park,_

Hayley crossed the road a block away from the bakery she bought the coffee and found a bench near the entrance of Beinville Park. She opened the cup and pulled out one of the phials and dripped the poison into a cup. 'Come on, Hayley.' She muttered to herself, swirling the cup slowly to blend both poison and coffee. 'One upset stomach and all this stupid drama is ancient history' She lifted the cup toward her face, closed her eyes, then opened them. Instead of drinking, she lowered the cup again without taking a sip of it. 'Can't bring yourself to do it?' She glanced up watching as Thea walking towards her holding her own cup of coffee. 'I don't know.' Hayley sighed softly, staring down at the waiting poison. 'Can I trust you Hayley?' Thea asked, crossing her legs on the bench Indian style. 'Are you going to tell me that your favourite cup of coffee is salted caramel mocha with whipped cream secret? Yeah sure, I won't talk around.' Hayley tried to highlight her up and Thea managed to smile, 'Actually without whipped cream.' The girls laughed.

'I've done something stupid earlier.'

'Did you undo your father's desiccation?' Hayley asked and Thea replied with a single nod, taking a long sip. 'That's great if your fat_her isn't a murderous psychopathic who goes around killing people_.' Her chirping voice fell flat when she noticed the upset look on Thea's face. 'Well, I desiccated him and I expected him to be angry with his fang readily to kill me. But when I undid it, he woke like it was not a desiccation; it was like he just woke up from a bloody great nap.' The vampire angrily took another sip of the coffee, 'It scared me that he's not angry.'

'Maybe you're just overthinking.' Hayley suggested and the older girl shrugged, 'Maybe, I do.'

Thea sighed, then both of them heard a branch snapped nearby. Thea shoot up, holding her hand stopping the werewolf from standing out. She looked around, and then turned to find a vampire right in front of her. 'You idiot. Don't 2 guys I snapped their heads made you learn your lesson, love.' Thea said boringly, throwing the cup on the ground. She recognized him among the cohort back when she and Elijah confronted Marcel. 'You Original doesn't scared me.' The vampire hissed, 'Marcel wanted the girl. It was quite a dumb move, coming into the Quarter. She's coming with me, wolf.' The vampire stepped forward. 'Well, wrong move, bastard.'

Swiftly, Thea grabbed his throat and delivered a blow down on his crotch before snapping his head and ripped his heart off. 'And I'm not an Original. I'm a bit of Original groupie. I'm way more fun than them.' She said chirpily, throwing the heart to his head. More vampires came and Hayley boldly threw her hot beverage on his face distracting him as Thea lunged forward, snapping his head and ripping his heart out. 'That's annoyingly rude.' Another came from behind grabbing Thea by her neck readily to crush her with another holding onto a branch he took nearby ready to stake her. Suddenly Rebekah showed up out of nowhere, snapping the neck of vampire holding the stake and ripped the heart out of the back of the other holding Thea down. 'Now, that is no way to treat a pregnant lady. I do hate bad manners.' Rebekah sassed out throwing the heart to the ground.

'You're a bit late.' Thea muttered, rubbing her neck carefully with the clean hand. 'Let's get you home.' Rebekah said, pushing the girl away who was still gapping over the dead bodies on the ground.

'You'll get used to it.' Thea casually uttered.

Back at the mansion, Klaus had been informed of what had happened while the girls took the werewolf home. He threw a final body onto a small pile in the front courtyard. Thea was the first to notice his present and opened the front door, walking out barefooted. 'I told you to keep your eyes on her.' Thea closed the door and walked over to him. 'I did.' Klaus paced around, 'Then what the hell happened here? Huh?' He snapped and the girl rolled her eyes. 'I don't know. It wasn't like I've staged this to happen.' It was Thea turned to snap and Klaus rubbed his jaw angrily. 'This is why I told you never to leave the house.' Thea almost thought that Klaus was screaming at her but then she sensed another presence closing up. 'Hayley, go inside.' Rebekah and Thea said immediately at the same time trying to usher the werewolf in.

'Let her be!' Klaus shouted, 'Werewolves are banned in the Quarter. I had a plan, and your little night time stroll put it all in peril! Leave him!' Rebekah had started walking toward the pile of bodies – one of them was still alive – but at Klaus' last command, she stopped abruptly. 'I let her out. I let her, it was my fault; my recklessness, so yell at me but let her be. You can't keep her locked up inside the mansion.' Thea shouted back, standing up for the werewolf. Realising that he can't do much for the werewolf with Thea backing her up, he decided to pick on a new victim; Rebekah. He pointed to his younger sister, 'You-you've done enough, don't you think? Leaving a trail of bodies like a road map to my door?' Rebekah looked at him full of hatred, 'If I hadn't overheard this lot bragging about werewolf heads, everyone here would be screwed. Even Thea will be dead. And don't give me that crap about having a plan. You've had all the time in the world to execute a plan, and no one's seen you do a damn thing! Elijah made a deal to protect your child, so that it could save you from your selfish, rotten self. But you obviously don't give a damn about the child or Elijah, because what have you done to honour it?'

Klaus leaped toward the blonde but Thea held him back, 'I have done everything. Let me spell it out for you, shall I? From the day I arrived, Marcel hasn't trusted me. From Day One, he's had his vampires ingest toxic vervain which, as you know, little sister, protects them from my mind control.' Klaus backed up and looked at the brunette, 'I would have used you if you didn't go and make a rebellious scene going on and snapping his cohorts' heads. I needed a spy, someone on the inside with me who Marcel would never suspect. So, I created a Day Zero and got there first. Marcel had just lost six vampires, thanks to your little murder spree—' He pointed to Rebekah and turned to Thea, '—and you snapping four of them. So he needed new recruits. So, I made the new one mine, before he'd had even a drop of vervain.'

Klaus smirked, 'But we all know the real way to a man is through his heart, so I used Cami. Compelled her to be my spy. And this one—' Klaus grabbed the vampire that was still alive from the pile, 'And this one – I'm gonna drain him of vervain, compel him to believe his mates found religion and moved to Utah, so that he can explain to Marcel why he lost three more vampires tonight.' He handed the vampire to Thea to be dragged inside into the house and marched inside; with Rebekah and Hayley following him inside. His alive state which causing him to groggily fight her made her work become irritating hard. She almost tripped herself over his legs. Klaus paced again, looking even irater than earlier. 'Does anyone have any more questions? No? Good, because I have a question. Hayley, what were you doing in the bloody French Quarter in the first place?' When Hayley remained in silence, Klaus snapped, 'Answer me!' Thea pushed the girl behind, standing in front of her possessively. But tired of being told what to do and what to be by vampire, she stepped forward, gnashing her own teeth.

'You wanna know what I was doing?' Hayley asked.

Rebekah panicked, 'Let her be!'

'I was buying poison, so I could put your little baby out of its misery.'

She spitted. Klaus was furious. He ran at her with vampire speed and pinned her to the door by the neck. She gasped for air as his grip tightened. 'Nik!' Both of the girls screamed, speeded towards him, peeling his hands and drawing him back by the shoulder. 'Keep your hands off her! She is pregnant, for God's sake!' Rebekah pushed her brother away while Thea took the girl in her arms, taking the choking girl to the living room. Hayley coughed and spluttered, massaging her throat. 'Are you good?' She asked worry and the werewolf nodded. They stayed off ring as Rebekah finally put in some senses inside of Klaus' head. 'All of this blusters about not wanting the child, and then the second she tells you she's ready to get rid of it? It's okay to care. It's okay to want something. That's all Elijah was trying to do, all he's ever wanted for you. All we've ever wanted.' Klaus, calmed down but reeling from being confronted with his feelings, sat down on the stairs. Rebekah sat beside him.

'I gave Elijah to Marcel.'

Thea snapped from where she was helping Hayley with a glass of water and speeded towards the hybrid. Rebekah's face flushed, '_What?_' She asked. Klaus panicked, 'Marcel was nervous. It's bad enough one Original returned to town, but two? His crew was getting antsy. He wanted Elijah gone, so—I gave him a peace offering.' Thea, infuriated, raised her hands and slapped him on the face.

'You _bartered_ your **own** brother? You gave my husband to that bastard?'

'I have a plan. Gain Marcel's trust, dismantle his empire, honor Elijah's wish that that baby be born. I am executing that plan the only way I know how. If you don't like it, there's the door. See if I care.' Klaus said flatly and stood up, leaving them to swallow what he had said. Enraged, Thea disappeared and Rebekah slouched in shock. After what it seemed to be minutes, she stood up and walked outside, deciding to take some fresh air. 'I know you don't know me very well—but thanks. I appreciate what you did in there.' Rebekah stared into the distance. 'You should have thanked Thea. She does more work than I do. You know that you shouldn't betray her. She trusted you, her trust is easy to earn but once you broke it, she—' Rebekah heaved a sigh, letting her to think of the consequences herself, 'But, us girls have got to look out for each other.' They shared a smile together. 'What is it with you three?' Hayley asked, joining her on the nearby chair, 'You both say you hate him, but the way you deal with him, it's so clear. Even when you hate him, you still love him.'

'I guess when you spend a thousand years with someone, deciding to quit them is like losing a part of yourself. But sometimes the hate is just—so powerful. Emil wasn't the only boyfriend of mine that Klaus killed.' Rebekah confessed, 'He did it again, and again, and every time I found someone to care about. He just kept doing it until; finally, I stopped falling in love. He said he was protecting me from my mistakes, that no one was ever good enough for his little sister. Until one day, someone was.' She turned to look at the werewolf and smart enough, she caught whom she was talking about, 'Marcel?' Hayley asked and Rebekah nodded. 'Surprised huh?' She smiled sincerely.

'If you know Marcel has Elijah, why don't you just get him back yourself?' Hayley asked.

Out of blue, Thea barged in; her hand was holding a velvet-wrapped dagger. There was dust on her jeans and clothes and cobwebs stuck to her hair. She was holding the silver daggers, 'Because, if she crosses Nik, there's still a coffin downstairs with her name on it.' She handed the daggers to her sister-in-law, 'Now not anymore. I'm sick of this. Let's just get this shit over because I'm tired of covering his sorry ass.' Thea was determined.

'Oh, my god' Rebekah mumbled surprised.

'So, if a couple of antique steak knives were the only things stopping you from getting Elijah back—' Thea smirked with her arms crossed against her chest; her body leaned against the railing, '—then here you go, sissy.' Rebekah smiled and both Hayley and Thea gladly returned the smile back.

* * *

_the next morning,_

Thea was sitting in the living room, accompanied by the classic poetry book, a glass of wine and cut fruits when Rebekah barged in. 'Cami—' The blonde vampire panted and Thea took interest immediately. She dropped the book and put her glass down. 'Where have you been?' She asked worried sick of her absence all night. Klaus left Hayley's room and hurried down the stairs, only to meet Rebekah as she stood at the front door along with the confused Thea. 'You were right. The girl, Cami – she's the key. Marcel likes her, and because of that I got to see the secret weapon of his that you've been going on about.'

'Well, don't stand on ceremony. What is it?' Thea asked straightaway.

'It's not a 'what', it's a 'who'. A girl, Davina. She can't be more than sixteen, and I have never felt power like that.'

'A witch,' Klaus concluded.

Rebekah shook her hair, 'She's not just any witch, she's something I've never seen before, something beyond powerful, and now because of you she has Elijah. Who knows what she could do to him.' The girl replied panicking. 'Where is she them?' Klaus asked, ready to take this problem himself. Rebekah stopped to think, and then looked at Thea confounded. 'That clever little bitch.' Thea shook her head; strings of curses escaped her thin lips, 'No, no. That bitch ruined our last chance.'

'What's wrong?' The annoyingly left-out Klaus asked.

'She wiped my memory of the location.' Rebekah clenched on Thea's arms, 'Marcel possesses a weapon bigger and more powerful than an Original—' She turned and pointed her finger right at Klaus' face, '—and you—you handed our brother to him! How many times will Elijah forgive you? How long until his hope for your redemption finally dies?'

'I did what I had to do! Marcel took our home!' Klaus defended himself.

'And our home is _worthless_ without family, Nik!' Thea finally snapped. The girl pushed her hair back and looked up at both younger vampires with determination burning in her eyes, 'I am finding Elijah – whatever it takes. Are you both going to help me?'

'Whatever it takes.'

'Whatever it takes.' Klaus repeated.

And there stood three vampires, holding their promises that anything happen—bad or good, that they will find Elijah, _whatever it takes._ They will.

* * *

**Thanks for favouriting, following and reviewing. Reviews are completely welcomed. Sorry for not editing fully, I'm too tired so I did it halfway; I barely accomplish anything today. But anyway, thanks evans516 for reviewing, I really like your stories. Thanks Ileana for reviewing, I sucked at writing flashbacks,honestly. And thank you Anna.B, your review was-wow, totally no words to describe. Your review gave me a couple of ideas to work on.**

**Well, about this chapter, as you can see I've awaken the desiccated father of Thea, gave a little backstory of Thea's past, messed up Thea's emotions and developed Hayley/Thea & Hayley/Thea/Rebekah relationship as a family/girlfriends but I do have ideas on making a little attraction between Hayley/Elijah. Maybe Thea will get jealous. Maybe Elijah will be the one who got jealous well since I haven't share the backstory of Thea and her whereabouts before she came back to New Orleans, which I really have a plot twist for that. Let just hope, I won't gave up and things wont get complicated. But for now, let me keep all of the plot twists and surprises as secrets.** **Holy fuck, I just rambled some shit here, I'm sorry. But please, do read & review**


	6. remember me not

**I haven't updated for a while (because 7 days were very 'a while') so I managed to get a filler chapter. There are building conflict between Thea/Hayley, built up attraction of Thea/Klaus , a glimpse of what was Thea been up to before and tiny of Thea/Cami, I hope you guys are satisfied in what a sick me could put up here. ****Don't worry, Thelijah is still on, let Klaus have some fun with her for a moment. ****Reviews are welcome. **

* * *

_remember me not_

_less than 3 months ago, _

'—and as I suggested you should take I-81 S and you'll pass through Virginia.'

'Daniel, I know. I know.' Thea closed the laptop and settled her glass on the table. 'For the love of God, can you stop this madness? I know how to get to New Orleans. It's my home okay.' The boy whom she called Daniel sighed and rubbed his face. Some strain of his brown hair fell on his forehead as he bobbed his head. 'Okay.' He muttered flatly, 'Are you coming back?' The question struck the girl like a lightning; she startled. She lowered the chopsticks back into the box of Chinese food they were devouring for dinner. 'I don't know yet.' She muttered flatly, shrugging. The boy smiled half-heartedly, 'Hit me up when you're coming back here okay?'

Thea smirked, 'So you can ditch the girl you're having for the day?'

'You know I won't cheat on you.' Daniel sighed. He closed the empty box and settled on the table. Thea rolled her eyes, busily sipping on the chow mien, 'Hmm _shu-rel_y.' She replied with her mouthful. Then they settled there; the tv was playing on a rerun of the show, Friends, Thea was busily finishing her food with her eyes glued to the tv and there was Daniel. The tv doesn't attracted him tonight;but she did. Her legs were propped up on the sofa, her long hair constantly brushed by the wind from the opened window; she was pretty, he thought. Of course, he kept wondering what her secret was, she looked so young. It was like she never aged and it's been 2 years they have known each other but of course she shrugged the question away and told her there was no secret behind her youngish face.

'Are you still going to trim my hair after this?'

The boy asked quietly, resting his head against the sofa with one leg up. The girl turned to him with her lips curled lopsided, 'But I love your shaggy hair.' She pouted. The boy ran his fingers through the thick locks, 'I've been warned by Mrs West. She said that my hair is bothering her when she was teaching.' The boy replied, his harsh voice sounded much deeper to her ears. 'But I love it.' The girl somehow has founded her way, straddling on his laps with her fingers lost in his locks. 'She's so mean.' Then tv was forgotten, the box were long empty as her lips touched his. Soon the clothes were scattered on the floor and their love-making was slow and gentle.

_later,_

'Dan, are you sure?'

Thea asked standing behind Daniel in their bathroom. He settled on the stool with his boxer on while she has chosen to put on his shirt with her hair messily tied up high. His hair was way shaggier than usual—she dubbed it as his sex-hair. It's her favourite hair style. 'Yeah, I am. Just cut it and let's get over with it.' She sensed the change in his voice and she bent down, kissing on his cheek. She stayed for a while, rocking his body gently. He had closed his eyes, trusting himself under her touch. 'I'll come home for you.' She whispered and his eyes shot opened. 'Promise?' He asked and with a slight hesitation, she replied with a soft smile and a small nod. They stayed again for a while before he broke the silence.

'Can you make my hair look like Chase Crawford?' He asked softly.

She smirked, 'Meh.' She grabbed the hair clips on the sink, 'I can make your hair look like Chase had copied you.' The girl stole another kiss and began her work. They talked and laughed; he told jokes and she sang, for a second they don't have to worry the upcoming separation that will be permanent without him acknowledging. The result wasn't as what he expected; it was far for what he asked for but he liked it. It was shorter on the side but longer on top; with some bangs for him to push a side. 'The scissor was kind of dull.' She rested her chin on top of his head, 'But I think I nailed it.' He smiled and turned her body around, 'You've done alright.' He pulled her down where he kissed her lips once and then her forehead once. 'I can drive you there. You don't have to this alone.' He muttered, his thumbs caressed her jaws softly. Her eyes fluttered innocently as she peered at him under the long lashes.

'I can do it alone. I have too.'

She placed his hands on her waist. She stood and he did too; his head dipped down to capture her lips once again. Her lips hummed a tone; a lullaby she used to play on the piano alone when she thought he wasn't watching. 'Sing me a song.' He muttered as she leaded him to the bedroom. She didn't reply and he didn't push; but she hummed something melodiously wonderful to his ears. The clothes were shed once again and they found comfort in each other's touch; something either of them wouldn't feel anymore. She could pretend all she wants but he is **not **Elijah. Any of men she ever been with will never be. She laid there as he snoozed quietly beside her. The smell of summer on his skin, the cadence of his voice and the sensation of his fingers on her skin; she's haunted. Haunted by Elijah himself. Every time she thought she can forget about him, he'll come and taunted her.

Little bit, she liked it.

But just bit.

She took her chances to pack everything—every existence of her in the house inside boxes and bags which she arranged carefully in the Range Rover. She crawled back on the bed. The house was cleared from her existence. She knew he kept something of hers somewhere but she wasn't in mood to take it away. The creaking of the bed startled the boy. 'Hey.' She responded, vamp-speeded towards him, gently cupping his face with her hands. 'He—' He looked at her, all dressed up, '—what's wrong?' She shook her head and gently laid her head on his chest. He didn't refuse so they stayed. Their ears carefully listened to the sound of car speeding to the distance, maybe some honking. His heartbeat was beating strongly, melodiously to her ears. 'I have to go.' She muttered, glancing up.

'Where?' He replied in dazed.

'Home.'

She pressed her lips against his and drew back. Her pupil constricted and her lips muttered words she wished she didn't have too, but leaving him with much information of her existence will cost problems tailing her. He was in dazed, hallucinating. She got off the bed and walked straight out without even turning back around. He was left with the memory of meeting her; once. He'll be in confused and stunned, desperate to find her but she would be gone. She was no longer existed. She was just another girl he saw by the hallway, juggling books, cup of coffee and phone between her ear and shoulder. For a single moment, she sat in the driver's seat, breathless, her cheeks burned. She shoved the keys into the ignition and turned it out—the engine rattled whereas it had never happened before; mocking her, mocking on her anxious self.

'Get your shit together, Althaea.' She muttered, 'Don't be a bitch. **Grow up**.'

And so, she drove, pushing the car as hard as she dared to look for a place she called home.

* * *

_present,_

_August 1359,  
__-I have noticed a difference in my siblings. Our bond strains beneath the pressure of our life as vampires. Each day removes them further from the humanity we once possessed. My sweet sister, Rebekah, has grown quite indifferent to brutality. However, the true problem remains my brother, Niklaus. He continues to hide his loneliness with cruelty. Still, I cling to the hope that I, as their eldest brother, can lead them down the correct path, a path charged with the power of a family united. For if I fail, our family's legacy will end in darkness. There are moments when I doubt that my family is capable of redemption, yet each time that I am tempted to surrender, I see it, the glimmer of goodness, that allows me to believe._

Hayley sat on the floor, holding a thick book in her hands which had seemed to be another trunk of Elijah's journals. She looked up to see Thea who was still in depth of finishing her new art. She had chosen the werewolf as her new drawing subject. The girl leaned against the wall; her left hand was working tenderly on forming her jaw line and her hair with that old fashioned pencil. 'Don't move.' Thea muttered without removing her eyes from the pad. 'You're not even looking at me.' Hayley protested, going back to her reading. They remained in silence before Hayley decided to strike another conversation.

'Elijah's a wise man.'

'So I've heard.' The brunette replied nonchalantly.

'His journals were inspiring. Have you read them?' Hayley asked, fumbling through more books. 'No. 'Thea replied flatly, 'Of course I won't, judging it doesn't belong to me.' The girl closed the sketch pad. She stood up and marched towards the next room where Klaus and Rebekah have been arguing for so long. Hayley was startled with her sudden mood change. 'Kids.' Thea exclaimed in jest, 'What seemed to be the problem here? I can barely concentrate on my drawing.' She sat on the couch closest to Klaus, legs crossed. Rebekah crossed her arms and pretentiously pouted.

'I cannot believe you disposed of those vampires without me. You know how I love to set things on fire.'

'I bet you do.'

Thea said, mockingly smiled at her, 'But I'm not quite a big fan of fire, so I left that to Klaus.' She stood up, standing tall right on front of Klaus, 'And he done a perfect job on that.' She walked pass him and reached for the glass in the tray. 'Was I supposed to leave them in the front yard to rot? Besides, they were my responsibility. They attacked the helpless pregnant girl who's carrying my child.' On the other side of the wall, Hayley opened the sketchpad and surprised the amount of talent she have. But most of them were slashed with a big X although the drawing was perfect; including the face of her. Hers, however, was slashed the worst, as if she hated her. The lines were overlapping, full of angst and pain. 'Oh, I am so moved by your newfound sense of fatherly duties towards the werewolf carrying your hybrid bun in her oven.' She caught on what Rebekah had said, feeling slightly offended. She stood and marched straight towards the room clutching tight on Elijah's journal. 'The werewolf would like to know what the plan is.' She noticed Thea have been staring at her before eyeing away.

'Well, that depends what plan you mean, love: My plan for global domination, or Rebekah's plan to find love in a cruel, cruel world.'

Annoyed by his scornfully words, Rebekah took a pencil from the desk beside her and threw it in Klaus's direction. Klaus caught it easily before it can impale his face. He then later threw the pencil on the Thea's laps who was daydreaming about something ''Something in mind, darling?' He sat on the chair crossing his own legs in pleasant. 'The werewolf wants to know the plan, Niklaus.' She said lazily. Klaus glanced at her pretended to be confused, 'What plan my love?' Hayley joined them, standing in front of them, 'The plan to rescue Elijah. You know, the good brother.' She insisted, 'The one who is now in the possession of your mortal enemy after you stabbed him in the back.' Klaus held up a finger; silencing the girl, 'It was in the front if we're being specific.'

Hayley was getting impatient, 'You three said that you would get him back. So is there a plan, or what?'

'We do have plans, little werewolf—' Thea interrupted, getting used of using the nickname both Rebekah and Klaus have been using, little bit trying to annoy her. 'Klaus, if you may.' Thea stood, 'I'll be back.' She marched out the room. 'Okay. Well, firstly, Marcel is not my mortal enemy—he's my friend, albeit one who is unaware that I'm trying to sabotage his hold over the supernatural community of the French Quarter, but a friend nonetheless. And secondly, I daggered Elijah in order to gain Marcel's trust. If I had known he would place my brother in the hands of a particularly nasty teenaged witch, I certainly would have weighed my options a bit differently. And thirdly, sister, please.' Hayley turned her attention toward the blonde next to here, patiently waited for the actual plan to be explained, 'And thirdly, the plan, as you have demanded, is for Niklaus to simply ask Marcel for Elijah back.' She was taken aback from what have come out of Rebekah's mouth. Hayley knew that wasn't just the plan; she was not as stupid as they thought.

'That's—that's not the whole plan, is it?'

'Please, Klaus may be a miserable excuse for a sibling, but there is none more diabolical.'

Klaus smirked and got off on his feet. He took a couple step toward the werewolf, who seemed to be—no longer sacred of him. 'And that's only the Plan A, love. There's always a Plan B.' He marched toward the front door followed by the freshly dressed Thea. 'And what's Plan B?' The question raised by Hayley stopped the couple's tracks. They shared a deep look and a smile curled on her lips as she exited the house. Klaus stared at the werewolf with his head tilted to side. He looks _attractivel_y menacing, Hayley would said.

'It would be war my love.'

* * *

_'Niklaus, for the love of Mary Magdalene, how long does it take to ask a simple question_?'

The fledging in front of Thea seemed to be frightened by the sound of Rebekah shouting from Klaus' phone. She sneered and handed the fledging a knife, but the boy refused too, 'Drain the idiot dry would you?' She ordered, sitting on one of the old barrows in the cellar of Mikaelson's mansion, 'I don't like to get my hands dirty. What's your name boy?' She asked as she speeded towards the tied up body of Marcel's cohorts in her black heels. 'M—my name?' The fledging asked, stuttering. She glanced over her shoulder and rolled her eyes, 'Of course, you idiot, who else? This bollock?' The girl tilted the head of the tied up hostage with the knife she has been holding for a while and rolled her eyes.

'Jo—Joshua.'

He replied. Thea turned around with a warm smile on her face, 'Cute name.' The fledging named Joshua remarked that the vampire looked cutely sophisticated yet casual, layering black spaghetti-strap dress over a pinstriped dress shirt. 'I'm Thea. That-' She pointed the tip of the knife towards Klaus who was into his call, '-I call him Nik but you can call him sire or master or whatever he wanted you to call him too.' Her heels clicked against the wood as she paced around. 'Well Joshua, get back to business shall we?' The vampire speeded as she stabbed the tied up vampire in the stomach. The impact caused the torso to spurt out blood from both of the wound and his mouth. The girl backed immediately, scared that the blood will stained on her favourite pair of heels. 'Let see you do it.' Thea handed the bloodied blade towards Joshua, 'Scoot,now boy!' She ushered him, 'We don't have all of the time here, darling Joshua.'

She watched from distance as the confused Joshua stabbed the hostage a couple of times. Soon, Klaus joined her, snapping from her little thought with his hand on her back. 'Are you okay?' He asked, his face was clearly stern from the phone call. 'Maybe. How's Rebekah?' She asked, referring to his phone call just now. 'She's very insisting of Elijah's return. I've seen you're not yourself at the moment. You're not that keen of getting your husband back. You were different earlier with your speech of freedom and getting Elijah home.' Klaus' statement brought a smile to the girl's face and she crossed her arms. 'Maybe I'm not that keen after knowing that I probably going to share Elijah after his return.' She hissed, leaving a couple other part of her problems secretly away from him. Klaus nodded and smirked lingered on his face. 'Ahh are we talking about that little werewolf having a crush on Elijah?' He put his arm around her shoulder, reassuring her, 'Don't worry, love. You have me.'

The hybrid winked, leaving the girl with a kiss on her forehead as he headed towards Joshua. 'I ordered you to drain him of blood. What's taking so long?' He asked, completely changed his demeanour. Joshua hesitated, 'Sorry. I'm not, like, medieval torture expert guy.' Klaus tilted his head in disbelieved and slight annoyed. 'You upset me, little Joshua.' Klaus grabbed a pitchfork nearby and impaled the vampire with it. Blood came gushing out causing the new fledging to squirm in discomfort. He glanced at Thea who had silenced herself for a while, decided to watch rather than talking, 'What he have done to you two anyway?' Joshua asked. 'It's not about what he did.' Klaus cut in before Thea could reply with anything; stepped between them possessively, blocking Joshua sight from the younger vampire he had developed fond too, 'It's about what he's going to do when we're done here, which is whatever I want him to, just like you. For example, drive this through his torso.' Klaus handed the pitchfork to Joshua, his pupils constricted as he compelled the fledging who immediately obeyed. He speeded and stabbed the torso with his new strength.

'Nik, you should go softer with him.' Thea insisted, 'Poor little guy.' She pretended to pout.

'You've grown to show concern for this guy aren't you?' Klaus teased her right as the small compulsion started to wear off. Joshua looked slightly confused, 'That is crazy. I didn't want to do it, but I did it anyway.' He said, turning to both of them for explanation. 'It's called mind compulsion, dear.' Thea replied, starting to feel sorry for Klaus' new victim. Klaus smirked and threw his hand around his shoulder, 'Let's have a quick lesson on Vampire 101. Vampires, like Thea, you and this guy; dumb and dumber can compel humans. Maybe a little bit up for Thea since this girl is a little bit of the Original groupie. Don't let this girl compel you dear boy, you better run for your life. But you didn't have to worry about that. What you need to know is us Originals, like my siblings and I, can compel vampires, and no one can compel Originals. You following?' Joshua nodded immediately. Klaus looked pleased, 'Good. That is how a brand-new nightwalker such as yourself is here doing my bidding with no one the wiser.'

The pitchfork exchanged hands as Thea took over it, stabbing the torso immediately with her heightened strength. Truthfully, she was upset by a sudden dream she had of an old flame. Daniel was his name seared in her head as her last lover before she left him for New Orleans. Later, her finding out about Hayley's sudden attraction towards Elijah surely worsened her whole mood, sending her to the edge of throwing a tantrum. She wasn't sure about how; but the way she talked about Elijah, it ticked Thea to realize that the werewolf and her husb-_she couldn't bring herself of saying the h-word anymore-_ Elijah are having attraction between them. It was no longer about protecting the baby and it angered her.

Thea stopped, panting a little bit as she admired her artwork. Surely wasn't an art gallery worth but she liked it. 'Young Joshua,' Klaus circled the boy. The glanced over her shoulder before continuing Joshua's job. 'The reason you're not strapped in and being drain out of your torso is because I got to you before you had even a drop of herbal vervain in your system. You see, it prevents compulsion. Marcel has had his whole crew taking it since I returned to town, and that is why our friend here needs to be bled dry of it, so I can compel him to follow my every command.' The hybrid looked at the brunette, a mischievous smile lingered on his lips.

'Ahh, you're doing it all wrong, love.'

He walked over towards her; his arms circled around her to get a hold of the pitchfork. The intimacy struck a question in Joshua's mind about who is the girl to the guy who claimed to sire him. For Thea, the intimacy scared her. She could feel him breathing against her neck, his arms around her waist. 'You see young Joshua, with my brother currently in captivity awaiting rescue, we can't afford to be gentle about it, can we?' Klaus ran the pitchfork into the vampire, with inhuman look on his face; twisted the pitchfork inside his torso.

'Right love?' Klaus smirked, leaving both Joshua and Thea in awed. His phone rang inside his pocket. He handed the pitchfork back to Joshua, 'Be quick about it. I have an army to build, and one compelled minion does not an army make.' Klaus excused himself and answered the buzzing phone. Thea followed him, eager to listen to Rebekah's discovery. 'Well?' Klaus asked flatly. '_You were right about the traitor_.' Thea looked gleeful in way Klaus liked the most, '_But of course luckily, she's just a kid and she doesn't know anything about us and what we're up to. Do you want to hear the part that does gonna please you the most?_'

'Oh do tell.' They both replied together, sharing the same satisfied smile.

'_She's in love with someone in Marcel's inner circle. Guess who it is?_'

Klaus let a content gasp, 'I don't know. Right hand type, favors silly cap?' Rebekah's laughter echoed from the end of the line. '_Two points for you. Thierry is fraternizing with the enemy. I told you, you'll be pleased._' Klaus ended the call. Thea paced, 'Ahh to be young and in love in a city where witches and vampires are at war.' She sat back on the nearby barrow, legs crossed and pretentiously to be saddened by the news, 'How very tragic.' The little pout she pulled put a smile on Klaus' face. He got a plan for the dear girl herself.

* * *

'What? I can't do that.'

Thea exclaimed trailing right behind Klaus after slamming the front door shut. After the heated up argument with the witch, Sophie, the plan was made. Sophie has to persuade her fellow witch, Katie to do a more powerful spell to create a smokescreen to Sophie's tiny bitty spell. Of course Thea will go along with that. But another plan Rebekah and Klaus had planned on behind her back; she can't do that. Not because it was planned behind her back, it was impossible for her to do. 'Why the hell should I do that?' She asked, carefully making her way along the bricked road, carefully not to trip on her heels, 'Why can't Rebekah do that?' She stopped in front of the opposite side of the car, 'Nik, can I at least get more challenging plan? Something involving neck getting snapped, or blood dripping at least something will make me sleep better tonight?'

The girl got into the passenger side, since Klaus insisted that he'll be driving today.

'It was already challenging for you enough to decline it.'

Klaus stared at the girl with a mocking smile on his face. Thea smacked his head, 'It wasn't challenging, fyi. It's—' She made a gesture with her hand and swung it around; where Klaus found it funny, '—it's not my cup of tea.'

'I've seen your strong friendship with that little witch Sophie and your growing _best friend forever club_ with Rebekah and Hayley. Why not add another member to the club? Like people said—' Klaus started the car, his smile never fade, 'The more the merrier.' Thea sighed, forcing herself to restrain from choking the life out of the hybrid.

Of course, we know it wouldn't work, would we?

* * *

Thea had ditched Klaus in front of the Abattoir and drove her car to a bar to swallow her sadness away along to accomplish her mission of the night. She parked the car in front of the Rousseau's. The last time she went here, she got stabbed with a knife on the chest, broke a table, threatened to kill a witch and drunk herself a bottle of Bourbon. What a happy memory. Her heels clinked on the pavement and the doorbell above of her head rang when she opened the door. The bar was occupied with people on every inch of the room. The band on the stage played a classic jazz song and Thea liked the warmly sensation of the place. 'Looking nice but alone, looking to hitch on someone for tonight?' A voice startled her and she turned, greeted by a bartender who was wiping the high-top table with a towel.

'Do I look like in need of some company?'

The waitress smiled and put a coaster on the table, 'No. You look fine by yourself. So, what would you like to drink? It's on me since I was kinda of-uhh rude just now.' The girl asked before holding up her hand, 'I'm Cami.' Thea reluctantly accepted her hand with a smile, 'So you're Cami.' She sat on the chair and ordered a fine glass of whiskey. 'How do you know me?' Cami asked settling her glass on the coaster. Thea took the glass for a sip, 'You're quite famous among my family.' She said, showing the girl the Mikaelson daylight ring that was also her wedding ring. 'I've seen it before.' Cami muttered, looking at the ring, 'May I?' Thea nodded and removed the ring, carefully placing the ring in the human's hand. She rarely removed; like rarely _rare_. She didn't find the need to remove it. It's an heirloom; it was something special for her. 'I've seen this before.' Cami told, placing the ring back on Thea's palm. 'On some guy-' The girl struggle to remember. 'Let me help. About 180, early 30s, in suit, very polite and noble-like?' Thea pulled on the best description she could give on Elijah and not to her surprise, the girl nodded. 'So he's a brother?' Cami asked, busy herself with making a couple of drinks for the nearby. 'You can call that.' She smiled half-heartedly, bringing the brim of the glass to her mouth. She was not in mood to spill up the story of her dysfunctional family especially to the poor girl like her.

'So, are you from here?' Cami asked before shaking her head, 'Of course you're not. Your accent.'

'I was born in Europe hence the accent.' The girl demanded for another drink, 'But I moved to America when I was a child.' Cami happily attended her. 'So why New Orleans?' She figured the question will come and it did. Thea finished off her second glass, 'What can I said? I enjoy the gumbo. Why did you move here?' Thea returned the question back to her. The girl seemed uncomfortable with the question and Thea felt bad for bringing up the question. 'Anyway,' Thea shrugged the topic off, continuing about the reason she was here, 'So I moved back here to be closer to my brothers because—let's face it—family's important right?'

'That's true.'

'So, are you seeing someone?' Thea asked spontaneously which surprised the blonde, 'Don't take it wrong, sweetheart. I don't swing that way. Words I hear from the street that you're dating Marcel Gerard. So is the rumour true?' Thea teased, a smile grew on her face. The blonde looked flustered and embarrassed and for a second she found comfort in someone. Someone new who has less potential of going behind her and stabs her good. 'I would hardly call it dating.' She shrugged, trying to hide the blush creeping on her face, 'He's wooing me—sort of.' The girl leaned against the counter, arms crossed, 'I don't know. I mean, he's very charming, which probably means I should run for the hills.' They shared a laugh and Cami was comfortable with Thea. Someone she could call as friend. She won't call Sophie her friend; she's her boss. She doesn't mix work and private life together. 'Don't be embarrassed,' Thea smirked, 'I'm kind of in an on-again, off-again thing myself at the moment.' All of sudden, she remembered Elijah, which caused her to remember Klaus and the main point of her presence here.

'Those are the worst, aren't they? The ones you can't shake, even though you know better, and you always know better?'

Thea smiled, 'I like you, Cami. You're not the whinny little twits type.'

Cami nodded, flattered, 'Thanks I guess.'

'Hey, I'm supposed to go to this posh charity thing thrown by this philanthropist tonight.' Thea stood up and pulled out a couple bills off her pocket and handed it to the blonde, 'He's a bit of a Gatsby, throws a mean party. Any interest?' She asked while putting on her jacket. Cami shrugged, smiling warily. 'Thanks for the night.I'll see you later.' Thea waved the girl goodbye and marched outside where Klaus has been waiting by the car, leaning against the hood, patiently waiting for her. 'I still think she doesn't deserv—' Klaus held up his hand motioned her to silence herself and fetch the keys from her fingers. 'We agreed, you've already done it. Nothing can be done to change anything now, love.'

'You're not happy yourself.' Thea said quietly.

'You're not too yourself.' Klaus replied, 'Now _get in_—' He raised his voice. She didn't bother to move, she was pissed off herself with him as much as he is with himself. Klaus noticed his mistake immediately, calmed himself down and swallowed his pride as he asked her to get in the car softly. Tiredly, she obeyed.


	7. fixing up

**_pssstt, surprise at the bottom of the story_  
**

* * *

_I will fix you up inside_

Thea took her time to pick something to wear. Her closet was useless so she found herself staring at the massive amount of clothes Rebekah had brought with her in for the trip back to NOLA. 'Still dilly-dally, sister?' Rebekah leaned against the door frame all dressed up in her black dress. 'You better make up your mind fast. Klaus doesn't want to miss tonight's show.' Rebekah walked in, dropping her mask and purse on her bed. She stood right next of the girl who stood with her bra and panties on. 'How about we exchange?' Thea scratched her head. 'You take care of Klaus, I take care of-'

'Bailing on me love?'

'Wow, wow. Don't cross the line here.' Thea speeded herself into the bathroom and came out seconds later in a robe. Klaus smiled pleased. He looked pretty clean and sharp for tonight event. He switched the jeans, simple t-shirt and jacket for a nice black suit complete with a tie. He looked charming, Thea admitted. 'Wow happened to you there? Did Joan came here and gave this hybrid a makeover?' She asked, a smile lingered on her face. But of course Klaus had spent none of his time to stop and watch Fashion Police like both Thea and Rebekah to know who Joan is. Rebekah smirked at his brother's confusion. 'What is this Joan?' Klaus demanded, didn't like to be fooled especially by his sneaky half-sister and his sister-in-law; who he was _secretly_ calling as his partner-in-crime now.

'Joan is this—' The blonde startled, pausing her moves from fumbling through the hanged dresses, '—it is a creature who own this show who talked about clothes people wear—mostly what hybrids wear. Mostly its shits she talked about. Good luck if she saw you in that.' Thea tried desperately to hold back her laughter as she worked on her eyeliner worried it will mess up. Klaus disagreed. 'I look completely charming sister. Right love?' He diverted his eyes to the mirror Thea was staring at, 'I completely disagree that this _Joan_ creature will hate such a charming man.' He corrected his coat, pulling on his famous Cheshire grin. Rebekah finally pulled out a dress that finally satisfied her. She stopped half-way and glanced at her half-brother.

'Did I mention you this '_Joan_' creature are absolutely immune to compulsion?'

Thea finally broke down, laughing. Rebekah looked pleased that she finally brought a smile to Thea's miserable face after days—_month _of Elijah's absence. 'Ahh, enough of chitty chat, let the girl finish; so let's have a couple glass of drink shall we, brother?' Rebekah ushered the hybrid out and closed the door, giving the girl a little space to dress up and finished her makeup. 'Oh, Bex.' She muttered at the sight of the dress Rebekah had picked up for her. It's a one-shouldered chiffon dress; it's Liska by Thomas Kirchgrabner. Her hand felt the smoothness of the fabric against her fingers and she sighed. The fabric was surely a handmade, the stitches are very neat; the dress worth thousands of dollars. The combination of blue and green definitely will bring out blue hue of her eyes. But she is the devil in disguise for tonight or probably just _accompanying_ but-but _then_ she looked up and her mouth twisted into a grin.

'Do you think she like it?'

Klaus asked, sipping over his third glass of Bourbon. Rebekah herself was at her fourth glass. It was like both Mikaelsons were having a match of who can have the most drink. 'You know she is with our brother, Elijah right?' Rebekah offered to pour another glass and Klaus accepted it. 'They are married. There's nothing you can do about it. But judging on the dress which _I _pick, I think she love it.' Rebekah sat on the piano stool; her fingers did its magic and she played a couple tunes. Klaus brought the brim of glass back to his lips when he was startled by a figure down the stairs. 'Rebekah, you might want to consider your choice again.' Rebekah looked up from the keys and gaped. 'That's not the dress I picked!' She shouted, irritated to be beaten by her brother. 'I know.' Thea walked down the stairs, trying not to trip on the long trailing dress; she had switched the Liska for 1950's black petal-bust strapless gown. 'But I'm accompanying the devil in disguise. Blue and green aren't really that intimidating. But, I promise I'll wear it next time. Pinky swear it!'

'Klaus bought that dress for you.' Rebekah insisted. Klaus took two masks from on top of the piano; one for himself and one his date for tonight. 'Well, you chose that dress, I chose this one. So whose taste those she loves more? I told you she looks better in black.' The Mikaelsons looked like there were ready to claw each other's eyes out of the sockets. Klaus handed the brunette her mask and she willingly accepted it. 'You'll be fine with Cami?' Thea asked, placing a hand on the youngest Mikaelson. 'Yeah, I've been dreaming of going to a party with a girl. It's on my—what do the human call, _bucket_ list? What so 'bucket' about the list anyway?' Rebekah took her purse and her own mask and marched to the front door. 'I better am going. I'll see you both at the party, birdies. Toodles.' Klaus and Thea shared a couple glances and the girl laughed.

'I told you to not let her have so much drink before the party even start.'

'What can I do?' Klaus smirked, 'Rebekah's beyond my grips. She only listens to you or Elijah _at least._' Thea scoffed and walked up to the landing before calling for Hayley. 'I'll get the car ready.' Klaus muttered flatly when the werewolf appeared on the top of the stairs. He was still angry at the werewolf for ruining his plan. 'It's okay. Don't come down.' Thea held her hand up, saving the girl's time and energy from coming up and down the stairs. 'You'll be fine alone?' She asked. No matter how the werewolf annoyed or hurt her, she still is responsible of the pregnant Hayley's welfare since Elijah's gone. 'Yeah.' She replied reassuringly with a smile, 'I practically the safest person in this world, _for now_.' She ran her hand on the showing baby bump and Thea smiled warmly.

'Hey, listen, I didn't mean to act all cold on you.'

'It's okay. I get it.'

'One of Sophie's friends will come to check on you. Take care.' Thea waved the girl goodbye and headed to the front door. 'You have fun!' Hayley shouted. She smiled and nodded, closing the door. 'What took you so long?' Klaus asked, stood up from leaning at the car. 'Holy shit is that Corvette '93?' Thea look at the black car in awed, vamp-speeded to its side, running her hands on it. 'Holy shit, it's a spilt window. Holy fucking shit, who did you compel for this car?' Thea asked excitedly. 'Some shitty human earlier. But you can have it.' Klaus enjoyed the shocked and excitement in her face, 'No, I'm just kidding.' He laughed sarcastically and she playfully punched him roughly on the shoulder.

* * *

Klaus and Thea arrived at the Abattoir for the Masquerade Gala 15 minutes later. Klaus handed the keys to the valet and offered his hand to Thea. They entered the party, arm in arm, taking in the dark, wild atmosphere. Acrobats performed hanging from the ceiling, dancers danced while handling exotic animals; albino snakes around their necks and confetti fell glittering upon the party guests. It didn't surprise them both when people turned and stared when they walked in, a Mikaelson and probably his '_date_'. As if they are here to mess up the party; which is true. 'Well, this certainly is a fitting backdrop for tonight's events, I must say.' Klaus said, not even bothered by the loud music blaring from the speakers at each corner of the courtyard; her vampire hearing caught it clearly. 'His taste is not bad. I'm impressed.' She said, a smile grew on her face. She excused herself to get something to drink when she spotted Cami entering the courtyard with Rebekah on tail; smiling and talking happily over something. She was wearing a pair of white angel's wings and a vintage white beaded dress. She couldn't help to notice how cliché she looked; a very human, new girl in a room chock full of vampires.

She just walked into a trap.

Taking a glass of champagne from a tray, she twisted her lips into the most charming smile and headed toward them. 'Hello, darling. You look precious.' She greeted her, handling the glass of champagne to her. 'I've seen you met my sister, Rebekah. I'm sorry that I can't pick you up. But Rebekah surely is a fun date for tonight' Thea explained with a charming smile. Cami shrugged it away and accepted her apology, 'Rebekah is surely a fun date for tonight. Thanks for inviting again.' Rebekah suddenly threw her arms around the human's shoulder and smiled the most sickening smile she could muster. 'Of course sister, she has to look precious for her man.' Thea scoffed and rolled her eyes before her eyes landed on a figure staring at them from the balcony; Marcel. Their plan worked. They got his attention. Cami took a small sip of the champagne while glancing around, 'I told Bekah about how ridiculous this party is, and I think I overdressed with this dress.' She noticed Klaus right behind Thea and glanced at Rebekah, 'Is he the infamous on-again, off-again you were talking about?' Immediately Rebekah shook her head and looked at Thea with a smile she wished she didn't put on. The kind of smile was like a death omen to her.

'He's the brother, actually, and my love is right. You do look stunning.'

Klaus finally decided to join them, hand on Thea's waist as he pulled her close. She knew Cami has taken in the gesture as a sign that Klaus is her on-again, off again. She was about to open her mouth to shrug the thought away when Klaus gripped on her waist tightly. 'You clean up pretty well yourself.' Cami said, bringing the brim of the glass back to her red lips. Klaus' smirk turned into a snicker as he brought the mask up to his face, 'Well, don't be fooled, love. I'm the devil in disguise.' They both laughed.

Somehow for Thea, she started to feel uncomfortable. Impossible for her _kind_—let alone an original groupie, but she started to feel her head pounding in pain. Her hand immediately gripped on Klaus' forearm and she gasped. 'Thea—' Klaus muttered but she cut him immediately, 'Bathroom.' She muttered between her gritted teeth, 'I'll be back.' She shot a reassuring smile at Cami and excused herself, pushing people that were blocking her way. Klaus silently motioned Rebekah to check on her with a twitch of his eyes. Rebekah took it as her cue.

'You two chit-chat. I need booze.'

Rebekah immediately speeded towards Thea who was tumbling her way out to the bathroom. She caught her arm and the girl yanked her arm in shock, 'Oh god, Bex. Damnit you're scaring me.' She threw her arm around Thea and helped her to the nearest bathroom. 'No you're scaring me.' She pushed the bathroom door roughly, surprising some guests in there. 'Get out off here!' Rebekah yelled, scaring all of them out.

Thea dropped her clutch on the floor, hunching over a sink. Her back hunched slowly up and down as she desperately sucking for air. 'Thea, are—' Rebekah reached her hand to place it on her back but she warded her hand off her back, 'Leave me alone, Rebekah! Get out!' She twisted the faucet open and splashed her face with the cold water, ignoring the makeup she was wearing. The cold water had seemed to knock in some senses in her. 'I'm sorry.' She muttered and took the tissue paper from Rebekah's hand.

'What the bloody hell is wrong with you?'

'I don't know.' She wiped all of her makeup away, carefully not to drop any on her dress. She leaned against the sink. 'I feel like—witchy. It was like there was someone on my head, shredding my brain slowly into strips and banging inside their fists against my skull. I feel like I want to rip my hair off and the sudden heat radiating out of my body; my blood is boiling. It makes me want to skin myself.' She was wheezing. It wasn't a surprise that Rebekah didn't cringe at the thought of her skinning her own body.

'So what are you trying to imply here?'

She juddered, 'I think I'm bein—'

'Jinxed? Hexed?' Rebekah cut. Thea rolled her eyes and nodded. Rebekah threw her clutch on the sink and massaged her temples, 'How the bloody hell is that possible? We have a deal. Elijah've made sure that all of us—_all_—are safe from the witches.' Thea shook her hair immediately, 'The deal is only legitimate to that werewolf only. Not us. Not me, not you, not Klaus nor himself.' She could feel beads of sweat running down the back of her neck and on her legs inside of her dress. Her bun felt too tight and the dress felt like it was shrinking. 'But Sophie knew the consequences she and her coven of bitches will be facing if the news got to Elijah. A witch gone rogue and hexed his wife? He'll be mad.'

'There must be rogue witch then who disagreed with Sophie and Elijah's plan and possibly the growing hybrid in that wolf's tum then.' Thea concluded, 'But there must be a coven of them. Can you get me a glass of water?' Rebekah crossed her arms across her chest and sighed; speeded her way out. It bought Thea a little time to piece up her thoughts and theories while fighting the heavy headache. She took the bun off and settled for a loose ponytail also wetting her forelocks; a little trick from her mother to ease the headache. Rebekah returned with 3 bottles of water in hand. She also managed to steal the wooden bar stool along the way. Thea snatched the bottle from her hand and drunk up immediately while nervously shifting her weight on one foot to another before falling on the stool.

'Okay. What do you mean by it just now?' Rebekah asked when she confirmed that Thea was back alright. 'Okay.' She gasped in relief, 'Wait? Which part that I mean by it just now?' She asked in blurred. Rebekah smacked herself on the forehead, 'What? This bitch got your head twisted along the way too?' The blonde whacked the girl's head, 'What do you mean by a coven of rogue witches?' Thea sighed and forced herself to regain her senses with another splash of water on the face.

'What I mean is if Sophie is really keeping her words, she basically has the entire Mikaelsons ready to back her up. This rogue isn't going to pull a kamikaze alone. She needed back up; someone to continue a plan if she failed. But there is something wrong with this.'

Rebekah frowned, 'What's wrong? What is the something wrong here?'

'Why me?' Thea asked simply, 'of all people she can go to; with Hayley in the exception, why me? Why not Klaus or Elijah himself? It was Elijah who sealed the deal. It—it's just a lot of illogical missing pieces here and—'

The both girls startled when the music and the chatters abruptly stopped. 'What happened?' Thea asked, fixing her image immediately and dashed outside. Rebekah followed her and they made their way back to the courtyard where it seemed that things have gotten a little bit too heat up. It seemed like Diego had brought Marcel a bad news. Marcel had the poor Thierry by the throat pushing him away from the main party. 'My cue to leave.' The blonde mouthed and Thea nodded, watching as Rebekah magnificently slipped out of the party without anyone noticing. She watches as Cami watched Marcel left, her eyebrows knitting together and disquiet overwhelming her features.

'Nik.'

Thea mouthed quietly as Diego motioned the DJ to play a new song, distracting the crowd from the scene earlier. She felt a cold hand pressed against her bare shoulder; which it didn't surprised her as the hand gathered her body closer to Klaus' own body. 'Yes, love?' The hybrid asked, his mouth twisted into his famous mischievous grin, 'Oh Martini? It's dirty with extra olive.' Klaus offered her the cocktail glass which she took and drained immediately to brush away the bitter taste of numbness and pain in her mouth.

'How do you feel?' He asked, rubbing his hand against her back.

Her headache came back and she was utterly uncomfortable. 'Not drunk enough.' She shrugged his hand away and made her way to the bar for another glass of martini.

* * *

'I want to hear your side of it.'

'Hey, Marcel, come on—'

Marcel paced and shook his head, 'Your version. Go.' He insisted. Thierry leaned against the wall and sighed, his shoulder hunched down, 'We were tossing the Cauldron. This guy, some nightwalker,' Thierry looked furious for a moment, 'He—he attacked Katie for no reason—' Marcel slammed his fist against the wall next to Thierry's head (which he was grateful that it missed) causing a huge crack on the wall, 'His name was Max. I turned him, and as far as reasons go, he doesn't need one. She was a witch. He was a vampire. Now he's dead.'

Thierry was shaking, 'I didn't mean for it to happen.'

Marcel balled up his hands into fists; which were shaking as he desperately tried to content his anger, 'You broke my most important rule. Damn it, T. How long we been friends, 70 years? I turned you into something that would never die. I gave you a gift.' He tried his best to restrain himself from yelling. 'And I have been loyal to you all this time, and I still am. I'm still your friend, Marcel. I swear, that hasn't changed.' Thierry defended himself, looking slightly devastated over Marcel's accusation.

Not far from them, Klaus joined the confused Cami in the courtyard who was watching Marcel intensely. Cami's look of apprehension remained. Klaus struck up a conversation, 'Are you all right, love?' He asked, offering the girl his most charming smile. Cami smiled forcefully, 'He's got a temper, doesn't he? I guess this is the moment I remember I know better.' The girl then excused herself, heading straight towards the exit. Klaus snorted in annoyance; every girl he opened his mouth to, left him. Thea and Rebekah, now Cami.

But at least his plan was working.

Not long after that, Joshua walked up to Klaus, joining him by standing slightly behind him. Klaus reached into his coat's inner pocket, withdrawing a folded piece of paper and handed it to Joshua, who pocketed it and walked away. Klaus watched the balcony as Joshua appeared next to Marcel and handed him the paper. 'Plan's working, I see.' Thea joined him, looking better than earlier over god knows how many glass of drinks she had.''What happened to you just now?' Klaus asked and she shrugged it away. 'Claustrophobic moment.' The girl mouthed flatly, sipping her glass of piña colada. 'Of course.' The hybrid replied, not buying her lies. 'A witch hexed me.' She replied truthfully, not bothering to lie to the hybrid anymore.

'What?'

'A witch—rogue one, hexed me.' Thea mouthed. Klaus gawked then his cheeks started to flush. '_What the hell_?' He hissed angrily. Thea placed her hands on his shoulders, trying to calm him down. 'Nik, we don't know who, okay? Just calm down.' Her eyes bore deep into his; it seemed to have calmed him down and she let him go, 'I see that your plan is working. I'll drink to your victory here.' Their attention returned back up to the balcony to where it seemed that Marcel had sentenced Thierry for breaking his most important rule. Klaus' lips twisted into a triumph smile, 'And it begins.'

'I want to go home.' She held her hand out, 'Keys, please?' She asked, fluttering her eyelashes sweetly hoping that the hybrid will let her drove home in her dream car. Klaus smiled and motioned for Joshua's presence immediately. 'Take my dearest here home, safe and soundly. Nobody shall know.' The compelled vampire nodded and ready to escort the original groupie out of the Abattoir. The girl gasped, offended. 'You don't trust me with your _stolen_ car?' She sulked. Klaus smirked, 'It's a '93 split-window Corvette we're talking about, of course I'm not.' He winked and she rolled her eyes out, marching out through another exit of the Abattoir.

* * *

'You're home early.' Hayley walked down the stairs holding the fire poker. 'What is it with you and fire poker?' Thea asked before shrugging the question away. She threw her purse on the nearby table and shook her heels of her feet. 'Klaus' plan work. But the highlight of my night must be when I was hexed by some , I think I have enough for today.' She walked pass Hayley immediately rushed to her room. Hayley took it as her cue to not ask about it at all. 'You want something to drink?' Hayley asked, throwing the poker aside. 'Think you could squeeze me some lemons for lemonade?' She yelled all the way from her room. Hayley smiled and nodded, making her way down to the kitchen.

Thea wasted no time to shade the dress off her sticky body and into the shower. The cold water seemed to have cooled her body temperature and eased down her headache. She wondered weirdly who was strong and daringly enough to hex her and why. 'Hey Thea.' The banging on the door startled her from her thoughts, 'The lemons are ready.' Hayley said. 'Okay. I'll be down in a sec.' She closed the faucet and got out of the shower. Temporally living in the mansion had made her adapted a little bit to Elijah's habit. She grabbed the towel from the sink and patted herself dry before putting on a pair of cottons shorts and a loose shirt she had managed to snatch at her apartment along with a couple of clothing for a few days while on the way back to the mansion.

She let her half-dried hair hanged loose and vamp-speeded to the kitchen. 'Thanks, dear.' She muttered flatly taking a sip of the lemonade in the glass poured readily for her. 'Rough night?' Hayley said with a sympathy smile, 'I kind of know how that feels. You know the hexed part?' They laughed and she poured the vampire another glass of lemonade. The sourly taste of lemon seemed have brushed the plainly taste in her mouth. Their conversations have gone through a wide range of topics from clothing to food to gossips and all ordinary humanly stuff. They shared a good laugh and Thea was glad they did talk and repaired their relationship.

Later, Hayley excused herself upstairs and Thea found herself siting on the stairs, with the glass of remaining lemonade in her hand and book on her laps. Half way through the century old book and 2 glass of lemonade later, both Rebekah and Klaus weren't home yet. A strong breeze hit her on the face when the door flew open, greeting her with the ugly angry face of Rebekah. 'What?'

'Our plan failed.'

The brunette jolted up, dropping the book and the empty glass on the carpeted floor, 'What do you mean? The plan was doing fin—'

'_Katie's magic stop okay!_' The girl angrily shouted, 'We only got it halfway. Sophie insisted but—'

Thea offered her a hug where the girl immediately leaped into her arms immediately. She stroked Rebekah's back in the most comforting way she could give. 'We failed.' Rebekah muffled against her shoulder, 'We failed. I failed again, _twice_.' The blonde's voice begun to crack and she knew immediately she was at verge of crying. The pressure was so strong in getting their dearest brother back and the clock is ticking fast. 'It wasn't your fault. No ones.' She assured her, feeling slightly devastated too. 'How are you feeling?' Rebekah asked, drawing herself back, hands on her neck as she examined the brunette from the top of her head down to her toes.

'Slightly burning. But better.'_ Lies_, a part of her yelled at the last statement hoping that Rebekah will hear it.

'The headache is gone.' _Liar_.

'I think I'm feeling good.' _Liar, liar your bloody pants are on fire_.

But surprise over her judgement of thinking that Rebekah could look pass over her lies, Rebekah sighed and flashed a quick smile of relief, 'That's good to hear. Last thing I want to see is you drop down and die because of some rouge bitch thinking it was a good idea to mess with a Mikaelson.' She walked pass the girl to the small living room and reached for the drink tray on the piano where she left it before the party, 'That bitch will be dead when we find Elijah. If not—' she sat on the piano stool and hit the note roughly, 'I'll kill her myself.' The menacing smile twisted on her face surely made Thea way more disrupted.

Her hands fumbled for something to hold on as her feet lost its ability to stand. She landed back on the bottom of the stairs; which was ironically as if it was mocking on her. She worked on her breathing, carefully not to attract Rebekah's attention that was playing a scattering of notes lazily. Isn't that witch even get tired of hexing her for tonight; and did she at least try to take a rest maybe or something because Thea totally have enough of shit dumped on her shoulder for tonight. They both suddenly sensed another vampire presence and Rebekah jolted up, rushing towards to door. Luckily, it was nothing but Klaus himself. 'Well tonight was an epic failure.' Rebekah muttered heading toward Thea's side leaving the door wide open for the hybrid. But Klaus remained calmed; even managed to smile as he stopped few feet in front of them, 'On the contrary, sister. Tonight was a masterpiece.' He said happily dropping his mask on the table.

The tone of arrogant in his voice drove her nuts, 'Are you mad?' Thea jolted up, leaping towards as she pushed him a couple steps back roughly, 'Some witch used that opportunity to hex me. Katie _died_ before Sophie could complete the spell. Our plan failed, Niklaus. We failed!' She yelled angrily. Instead of feeling regret or devastated, Klaus' smile grew wider and he went to pour himself a glass of bourbon, 'Oh, I'm well aware. I killed Katie.' He confessed, guiltlessly.

'_What?_' The both girl asked, furiously, 'You what?' Rebekah asked, her body was trembling with anger. 'There's no way our little suicide witch wasn't gonna try and take out Marcel with her. I saved his life, and in doing so, I now have him exactly where I want him.' Klaus explained calmly. A sudden ring of Thea's phone from her clutch interrupted the heated argument. 'You might want to—' Klaus pointed at her clutch but she brushed it away.

'Fuck that!' Thea yelled, 'Sophie trusted you. I trusted you. Rebekah trusted you against all of her better instincts. You betray all of us—' Thea jabbed angrily against Klaus' chest before burst out into another fit, '—_oh my god, who the hell is that_?' She marched towards her clutch—might have possibly ripped it into two while looking for the phone. She jabbed on the phone angrily and yelled at the caller as she excused herself out leaving the both siblings to continue their argument.

' You know, Bekah.' Klaus poured himself another drink and another for her, 'I hope Thea took this as a wakeup call. You too because bloody wake up, Rebekah. The witches are on no one's side but their own. This girl, Davina? That's all they want, and when they have her, what do you think happens then, a truce? Of course not. They will use Davina's power against all of us.' Rebekah's face flushed red and she had to hold herself back from attacking her brother, 'Even if you're right, the plan was to find Elijah, and you've failed us.'

Klaus chuckled and settled his glass down, 'You always did lack faith. By protecting Marcel, I've cemented his trust, so much so that he's agreed to return Elijah to us. And when the time is right, when he has told me everything I need to know about Davina, I will have her for myself.'

'Look at how disgusting you are Klaus.' They both turned back to the door frame where Thea stood while shaking her head, 'All you care is about you. Nothing but yourself. I'm out of here.' The girl grabbed the remaining contain of her clutch and walked out; slamming the door on her way out. 'She was right, you disgust me.' Rebekah grabbed the glass and drained the glass and settled it on the piano, 'I have all the faith in the world that you'll get what you want, Nik. You always do, no matter what is costs the rest of us. You _disgust_ me.' She turned around and left leaving the hybrid to swallow in what they have said and to rethink of what he have done tonight.

* * *

Cato was waiting anxiously at the front door, pacing from back to forth. One second he had his hand in the pocket of his jacket, one second later he had his hand running in his thick hair, ripping some along the way. The waiting ended and he breathed in relief as he watched a pair of light from Thea's SVU driving in. 'Thea!' The boy yelled—in both anxious and relief. The girl got off the driver's side in confusion as her brother leaped towards her, pulling her into his arms. 'Thea, oh god, Thea! Holy shit what took you so long?'

'I have a rough night okay? And driving while being hexed by a witch is a pain in the butthole, okay? You should try it sometimes.' The girl slammed the door closed. Cato frowned, 'You were what?' He asked for a confirmation. Thea sighed and whacked her brother in the head. 'Hexed! Hexed, I was hexed during the gala, okay? Someone used Katie to smokescreen the hexes too.' Cato flinched at the sound of name of the witch being spoke out loud, 'But are you okay?' He asked worriedly. 'Other than the agonizing headache, feeling my blood boiling and sweating vigorously, yeah I'm good.' She shrugged, rolling her eyes at him, 'Anyway, what the hell is wrong with you?' She asked.

'Remember the plan? Katie's spell—it—uh, she—'

Her face fell, 'What the hell happen?' She reached for his shoulder and shook him roughly, 'What the hell happen?' Her brother was trembling and she was getting uneasy. 'She kind of overused it. Her power was so strong; it lifted up a veil enough for something to escape.' Cato explained. Thea shook her head and chuckled nervously, 'What do you mean? What veil? What escape?' Cato glared at the front door and she got the message immediately. She vamp-speeded towards the door and-sort of-kicked the door opened.

'Mother!' She yelled, rushing to the living room, 'Father!' She sighed in relief at the sight of her healthy yet alive mother and father sitting at the dining table; but the nightmare-the _actual_ threat was actually sitting _on_ the other end of the dining table, munching on an apple. Her face drained and she was struggling to balance herself. She was shuddering. 'Wh—what? But ho—how?' The smile was menacing, '_You are dead_.' Thea mumbled

'_Hello, Thea. It's good to finally get my chance to catch up on you_.' Another bite from the apple and the menacing smile grew wider, '_So how is Elijah?_'

* * *

**Surprissseddd ! How was the 'so called' surprise? Did I get ya all? So was it the second most dangerous in the family or the noblest one in the family; or was it both?[wiggling eyebrows, dramatic sighing and drum rolling] Anyway, thanks for reviewing, following and favouriting and waiting for an update. Writing and editing at 4 am were surely exhausting, so I apologize for any mistakes I've missed. So, a review for a smile on my face when I wake up-maybe? Hit me up whether I should resurrect both of them or either of them. Your support surely make me work hard,so thanks guys!**


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